The Outlaws
by Drixxy
Summary: Elin believed her daughter's tall tale, and accepted it with deep gratitude. "I owe you more than I could ever repay, Kai. You saved me from a life of perpetual pain, and you've given me my little girl back… You've done so much for each of us, Kai. If there's anything you need, anything at all, we will be more than happy to give it to you."
1. Welcome Back

_Welcome to the sequel of A New Adventure and Once a Hero…_

_The Outlaws_

_Kai_

"You expect me to believe that lie?"

"I swear... I don't remember anything!"

"You were at the top of your game... You were killing off every enemy to just about anyone that _was_ anyone... And you expect me to believe that you don't remember _anything_?"

I slammed my forehead against the table, rolling it side-to-side as my bound arms screamed. I was never this flexible. I was never so scarred. I was never so marked up. Who was I? Who had I become? How...?

"Do you remember him...?" A picture was shoved in my direction. A red-eyed man stared back, hugging onto a brunette.

"No," I said dryly. "I've never seen him in my life."

ooo

I leaned out of my window, examining the beautiful Atmos before me with bright eyes. I lent a smile to the world as the wind struck my face. I reached out, grasping a handle to my left on the outside of the bunker.

"Don't fall," my lovely roommate joked as I kicked my feet onto the windowsill, crouching in the 3-by-4-foot window.

I glanced over my shoulder and laughed; she provoked a challenge. I jumped from the window, catching my feet on a small, nearby ledge. I propped up my weight on my right foot, hanging from the building by my left hand. I examined the world around me, provoking stares and glares from passing pilots. Skimmers and rotting Heliscooters flew through the air—some rich, some poor, but people sat among them just the same.

I was still a mutant, still a freak—unmistakably identifiable in a crowd of one million. I'd grown to accept it… I'd grown to love the oddities that made me, me. I'd learned to make a living off of what I knew, spending my time hunting down targets—I was an outlaw, a gun-for-hire, a bounty hunter, and a _damn _good one at that.

I smiled as a familiar face entered my view—once an enemy, now a comrade; I'd stooped to his level. He was right all along.

"Need a ride, Miss Fury?" he laughed, brushing his hair from his eyes.

Fury was the name I'd grown so fond of, caught from a crystal I stole on my last adventure as a Storm Hawk.

I released the handle on the wall, diving head-first through the clouds. I kicked my feet over and flipped mid-air, landing precariously on the wing of his Switchblade.

"Showoff," he accused with a wry laugh.

As he picked up speed, flying through the clouds once more, I stepped lightly on the surface of the wing. "You're one to talk, Ace." I took my place behind him, wrapping my arms around his torso. For someone so inhuman, his skin was warm to the touch, and that brought me back to reality every time.

Much to his dismay, every invitation he'd sent, asking me to join his team, had been outright denied. I was content earning my living killing off insignificant and problematic people. I was a neutral being—I held no reserves about who was right and who was wrong. As long as someone paid me, the job would get done, no matter how brutal… no matter how immoral…

I mindlessly picked at a string hanging from his jacket.

"Where am I taking you today, Kai?"

"Botagon… I have to pick up job specs."

"And crunchies?"

"…And Botagon crunchies…," I laughed, pressing my cheek against his back.

Ace spoke quietly and hesitantly, "Does… Lora know you're gone?"

"She knows I left, but not with whom I left."

He sighed. Lora had always been a sore spot for him. I'd frown to learn more about his insecurities, his hobbies, interests, strengths, and his weaknesses. Lora, by far, hit his heart the hardest. You could see it in his red eyes—no matter how much time had passed, he would always love her. It was the one thing he wouldn't lie about, although that fact was due mostly to avoiding the topic altogether…

"How long do you plan to be?"

I removed my right hand, counting my money. "I might stay for the festival."

"I have a job out by Lynn. You can join me if you'd like, but you'd have to be quick about your business."

"Or you could skip out and join me…" I linked my arms back around him, fiddling with the string once more.

"It's a strenuous job. I'm going to be gone at least a week."

I'd begun to rely on him for more than just transportation. He'd become my reluctant friend, and a source of both companionship and entertainment. Even though I lived with Lora, she resented my involvement with the Dark Ace. We were silent enemies, Lora and I, but vocally we were good friends. However, our argumentative personalities had us butting heads more often than not.

"I'll bum a ride off someone."

"Dangerous… Sounds fun! Don't you have enough danger in your life?"

"Never enough," I spoke contently. "It's never enough."

Ace took his Switchblade into a nosedive and I clung to him tighter. The second he landed, I stepped off his bike; I was in dangerous territory.

"Call me if you ever drop by Neon," he winked, taking off back into the skies.

I stepped forward and onward, pulling a thin cloak out of my satchel. I draped the hood over my head and pulled my braid over my shoulder, fiddling with the weaves. I was to meet with the head of the Raptors, Repton, along with his goons. I knew who I was after, but not where I would find him; an intense financial discussion would surely follow.

The Raptors rather liked getting rid of small annoyances, rather than the important business men or other Sky Knights, so my jobs with them were always easy, but reluctantly profitable.

"I don't like this place, Kai…," Torch whined, looking around with shifty eyes. "I never feel safe here."

"I haven't died yet," I spoke slyly. I stepped through the terrain, though I was quickly greeted by a reptilian man. His tongue slipped through his teeth, tasting the air. He didn't trust me—smart lizard.

"You look so serious," I laughed.

The man remained silent, leading me through an odd building. I faced another man, who spoke with distain, "He'll be at the festival."

"What? No physical description?"

His tongue slipped through his teeth in repulse as he eyed my every move. "You're an ignorant little girl, aren't you?"

My expression fell flat and emotionless. I watched his eyes begin to grow wide with curiosity as my skin lit up with crystal energy. Torch shifted in the air with the rising tension. "I'd give up the information I came for if I were you…"

"You know what you want," he spoke nervously, reaching for an envelope. "I admire your perseverance. No complaints. So you'll do it?"

I ripped the envelope from his scaly claws, rifling through the contents. I removed the picture and laughed. "He's fifteen! You're going to make me kill a child?" With a slight pause, I stuffed the picture between my teeth and the envelope into my bag before removing the picture and speaking again. "Five. I want five, or the kid is _your_ problem."

He raised a brow. "Three, and you get to keep that precious hair of yours."

I charged forward, my hand around his neck in an instant. His goons lurched forward, but backed off in a moment. They weren't unfamiliar about who they were dealing with. "Ten, and you live."

He gasped and scratched at my hand, his scales losing color with each passing moment. I could feel the energy rising within me—I had starved for his anger and anguish, and it would fuel my every move evermore.

"Eleven…!" he squeaked.

As I dropped him to the floor, he collected himself, regaining his balance and breath. "You… drive a hard… bargain… Miss Fury…" He rubbed his neck, a nonchalant nod signaled his comrades to see me out. "Connor is a rich man… As partial payment, and collateral, kill him and take what he has on him. You will receive the rest when I see my proof. I expect complete honesty, as always…" With another nod, he left.

"Hey, hey! Don't touch me, you fools!" I yelped, leaning away from their grasp. "I'm not stupid, I can find my own way out of this damned place." I shrugged off their hands, readjusting my cloak and hood. I kicked the door open and my eyes went wide. I stood in silence as the large door shut behind me.

Five Raptors lay unresponsive on the ground, unmoving as I stepped forward. Quiet footsteps behind me caught my attention, and I spun on my heels; the familiar face didn't surprise me.

Ace laughed as he stepped from the building, scratching at the metal clinging to his forehead. "Eh… So, I changed my mind…" He held out a partially empty carnival bag. "Crunchies?"

"Ace, you dumbass…"

"Why are you here again?"

"I have to get some rich brat…"

"What, you're not going to have any fun?"

"It's Botagon… You can't have much fun in this murderous, scaly place."

He laughed. "You forget who you're talking to… You give me so little credit!"

I shoved him to the side. "You're the Dark Ace. The least you could do is start acting like yourself."

"Am I not allowed to have friends?"

"No!" I laughed. "No one expects you to… You're supposed to be dangerous. No one expects you to actually have a life outside of Cyclonia. Kinda like teachers…"

"Did you just compare me to a teacher?" he asked, laughing. Ace began to count off the differences on his fingers. "I'm not overweight, I'm not old, and I'd much rather spend my time _not_ teaching ignorant brats."

I smiled. "Well, you _are_ old, and you have to train the talons… So, you're more than half-way there!"

"Not funny," he grumbled, chucking his empty snack bag over the edge of the terra.

"You are getting kinda mushy, too, Talon…" I removed the hood before poking at his stomach.

Ace leaned forward, his arms guarding his torso. "Hey! Don't you have anything better to do?"

"To be honest, no."

"You're not gonna have fun killing some brat? Come on, where's the Kai I know?"

I looked down. I'd never been a fan of killing kids. I'd done it, yes, but reluctantly. Murder was something I'd constantly try to avoid. I was a bounty hunter—I picked kids up, not kill them. But on occasion, I was a gun-for-hire… I was still human, no matter my exterior looks. I always felt remorse…

"She's tired," I spoke quietly, rubbing my nose.

"Can you pick up some crystals at the festival?"

I nodded. "But first, I have to find that kid…"

We continued onward toward the nearing festival, weaving through the mobs of Cyclonians and Anarchists. Suddenly, Ace flinched—his grip on my shoulder tightened and he froze in his tracks.

"What's wrong?"

"We should leave…"

"What?" I laughed. "Is _Acey_ scared of something?"

"Yes, I'm scared of you. Now, let's go."He reached out, grasping my arm. Ace knew full-well what the dangers were of touching me.

"Why?" I protested, ripping my arm from his hand. "I want to be here!"

Ace continued to back up. "Promise you won't turn back around…"

He knew I broke that promise before he even asked. I spun around on my heels, and I knew it was better to listen. "He won't recognize me," I lied. I hadn't grown an inch in any direction in the last five years… And he wasn't one to miss details. "Let's go," I demanded.

Ace was far from my reach when I searched for his hand. I wanted to show I was over everything that had happened. I skipped forward a few steps, leaning close to Ace. His hand reached around my waist, pulling me closer.

And when I glanced over my shoulder, the red-headed boy was looking down, fiddling with his straw. His eyes sadly glanced over—he'd already seen me. He grabbed the blond's arm and slowly walked away.

Revenge never tasted so horrid.

"I'm sure he didn't see us."

"I'm not…"

ooo

"Red one."

"Blue one!"

"….Red one!"

"FUCK!" I hid behind the window, crouching down as far as I could go.

Lora looked down, flicking her hair from her eyes. "Do you enjoy living your life in hiding?"

"Yes! Now leave me alone!" I pressed my ear to the bunker wall, calming my breathing. "Second time this week… Have you been monitoring the radio like I asked?"

"Yes. No signals from them."

"What the hell is Blondie doing here, then?" I looked up.

Lora laughed, waving to someone beyond the bunker.

"Don't bring him here!" I whined.

There was a moment of silence before Lora yelped. "Fuck!" She quickly joined me behind the wall.

"Welcome to the club," I laughed. I stood up, glancing out of the window. "Him? He's…"

"Go," Lora sighed. "I'm out of here, anyway."

I nodded, climbing out of the window.

"Does your friend not like me…?" Ace laughed.

"Fuck off, you ungrateful bastard," Lora sneered, slamming the door on her way out of the bunker.

"Personally… I find it hilarious that you're living with my ex…"

"I don't," I said, stepping onto the Switchblade's wing. "We're all connected; we stand together—we fall together." I walked elegantly across the surface toward him.

"You're going to get me in trouble, Miss Fury."

"No… This? This is training… Manage to keep your hands off me and you'll survive just about anything…"

"So confident…" Ace smiled.

I took my seat behind him. "Confidence?" I laughed as I wrapped my arms around him. "You know you can't stand it… You have had trouble keeping your eyes _and _hands off of me since I was fifteen…"

"You make me sound so horrible…"

"You make yourself sound like a pedophile. It's not my fault."

He smiled. "Well, your ass is legal now…"

"Keep flying, you creep."


	2. Aurora

_Rewrote the first part of chapter one. If you don't read it, you won't understand the first part of this chapter. Another thing I might mention is my layout of the Terras. Terra Saharr is always bordering the Wastelands for me. It isn't a raised Terra with the Wastelands below, for me. It's a grounded Terra like Atmosia. Not sure how it happened, but that's always how I've seen it._

_Kai_

"Don't ask me how it happened. I swear, I have no idea..."

"Don't lie to me, kid."

"I'm not!" I screamed. "I swear, I have no idea!" Slammed to the side by a pounding fist to my cheek, I growled. "You know how illegal this is..."

"You know how illegal all of your murders were..."

"I... I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Of course you don't...," he said with a grin. "You don't even remember how you found that crystal..."

ooo

"Remind me again how you convinced me to do this?"

"Think of it this way... Alieeensss," I sang, laughing. "C'mon, do it for me..."

"You mean, the bitch I can't stand?"

"No, the bitch you live with. There! Go down." I pointed.

"Give me one good reason."

"If you don't... I'm jumping off and landing myself, Ace will have no one to bother, and you _know_ he will go straight to you."

"Aye, aye, captain," she laughed, taking the Skimmer downward.

Once close enough to the ground, I jumped. Lora knew she couldn't stay; she would only get hurt... Although strong enough to fight for herself, she wouldn't last against 500 Cyclonian talons, no matter how stupid.

Even I wasn't allowed on this ground. Today, however, I had an advantage. Just the day before, Ace had mentioned a ship takeover went awry, and the ship went down. Only Cyclonia would be brave enough to excavate the remains in the blistering-hot wastelands...

However, the ship blew a hole through the Wastelands floor, giving way to an old Crystal deposit. I wasn't about to miss out on an opportunity like this. Why let Cyclonia have all the fun? I was determined to get my hands on Crystals that would potentially stay in Cyclonis' hands until the very last one was drained, and I had my eye on one in particular.

I ran off like a rabid animal, jumping from rock to rock. I could see the tail of the ship, alongside the jets that propelled it forward. I could see talons, and I could hear their cries. Dressed to the nines in heat-retardant gear didn't save everyone from the burns and dehydration. I came across one young man that struck a raw nerve.

He sat on a rock, leaning against another. He bore a strict Cyclonian uniform, but the blood, although nothing new, wasn't meant to be there.

I stopped before him, and his eyes grew wide. "D-don't... Don't tell him...," he muttered. His eyes began to roll as he closed them, pinching his lips together. "I... did my best... I swear..."

I knelt down, untying his shoes. "Why are you still here?"

"Can't run as... as fast as you, speedy..."

"I think you must've hit your head alongside the heat exposure..." I chucked his shoes into the lava. "Can you walk?"

"Can I walk...?"

"...All right, get up," I demanded, pulling him to his feet.

"Where are my shoes?" he asked in amazement.

"...Are you simple, boy?"

"I'm Ben!" he laughed.

"How on Atmos are you a talon...?"

"Where... where are you... taking me?" he asked with a sly smile. "Are we on a date?" With a pause, he picked up another sly grin. "... Do I get a kiss...?" Mustering up some imaginary energy, he pulled me close and planted his lips on my own.

"What is it... with men your age and _me_?" I laughed, pushing him off. "For a stupid talon... you're still a good kisser."

"...Thanks," he laughed, falling back to the ground.

I walked over to his limp body, watching as his eyes trailed to my chest. "I should get you out of here..."

"...Heh... I can see down your shirt...," he sang, closing his eyes with a soft smile.

"Keeps your eyes off my chest and I'll keep my hands off your ass. Do we have a deal?"

He threw his hand in the air and I grasped it, pulling him to his feet. "Is that a threat or a promise...?"

I shook my head, laughing. I knew I needed to get onto Cyclonian ground before the crystals were secured, but from the instant I saw him, I knew I needed to help this boy. As selfish as I had become over the past few years, I wasn't entirely numb to feeling compassion and concern. Plus, if the kid was washed off and cleaned up, he wouldn't look half bad.

Without a ride, the least I could do was get him to Terra Saharr in the outskirts of the Wastelands. Although Saharr wasn't the best option, it would seem like Blizzaris compared to the lava surrounding him. From there, I could leave him to recover in the sand while I went to check out the crystal deposits.

The thought of leaving him to die shouldn't have hurt, but it was a thought I couldn't stand...

So I stayed with him.

ooo

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I have to get those crystals..."

"They're going to kill you..."

I glanced over my shoulder. "...You underestimate my power..." I gave him a sly salute before running off. I could handle the heat of the wastelands... One of the most dominant crystals in my system, the Frost crystal (alongside the Paralyzers), not only helped keep me cool, but does the exact opposite in the coldest situations.

Cold helps reduce cellular breakdown, and even the slightest change in temperature in either direction can mean the difference between life and death... And the oddest thing? Although not practical, I could stick my hand in the lava without repercussion.

Another five kilometers of weaving in and out of the rocks and I was back to my original destination. I grasped the rock before me, planning my attack. _In order to get to that cart, I'll have to get those four on the ground... anyone else will just get in my way. I can't have them making noise or I'll be in for a ba__ttle worse than I bargained for._

I sighed, gripping the rock. I lunged over the pit of lava ahead of me and my eyes lit up. I clenched my fists and took a fighting stance. With a grin, I spoke confidently. "Hello, boys…" Before any of them could blink, I sent a burst of Paralyzer energy through the air. They fell to the ground unharmed. I stepped forward, digging through the mining cart before me. My necklace immediately tugged forward, almost magnetically. I stepped back, alarmed.

"…What the…?"

It began to glow, a low hum escaping the crystal. "My, my…" Torch separated himself from my necklace and smiled. "Your crystal sure has a mind of its own, Miss Fury…"

"That wasn't you?" I asked in amazement.

"Sure wasn't…"

I untied the necklace, dropping it in the basket. "Back up, Torch." When he stayed silent and unmoving, I turned around and ducked, Torch sheltered under my arms. I could feel the surge of crystal energy in the air. It called my name… I was desperate for a good recharge, and it was playing on my weaknesses. I groaned, biting back the urge. I shut my eyes tighter as the light from the crystal washed out any visibility.

I rested my forehead against the ground and sighed.

"You're squishing me, Kai…," Torch whined childishly.

I pushed him out from under my arms and rested for a moment more.

"Are you all right?"

"Go… check it out for me. I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Your levels are low…"

"I know… I know! Just check it out… I'll be fine in a minute."

"… There's, uh… You… might want to look at this, Kai…"

I struggled to rise to my feet, brushing off bits of ash and rock from my chest and arms. The bright light had died down considerably, constrained to the cart. The residual crystal energy in the air was immense. It felt draining—my power in comparison was almost dwarfed.

I craved this power.

"What is it…?"

With confidence, and adrenaline, I stepped forward, shoving Torch aside. "It's an Aurora Stone."

The sound of a blade charging up roared behind us. "It's mine."

I was unconscious before I could even flinch.

ooo

"So you found _him_ there too?"

"Benny boy...," Ace sang, pushing the boy around. "I thought I knew you better than that."

Ben spun around, spitting in his leader's face. "You knew _shit._"

Ace kicked his blade up, kneeing the boy in the groin. Spinning around in the movement, he pushed the boy to the ground, one foot on his back and a blade to his spine.

Ben began to laugh hysterically. "You'd swear he was a ballerina, Mister Cyclonis."

The dark ruler took one look at me and spoke in a confused tone, "…He's high, isn't he…?"

"He was sober when I left him, I swear."

Ben rolled onto his back, the blade now at his throat as he dug through his pockets. "Ah-ahh… But this is your ballerina's flask, not mi-i-ine…"

Ace hung his blade at his hip, leaning over to rip the flask from the young talon's hands.

"I'm assuming the little bastard wasn't like this when you picked him up…"

I smiled. "So you're a drunk…?"

"I'm not a drunk," he muttered, biting back a belch of sorts. "But I do drink… Wh-who am I to pass up free Vodka…?"

"It wasn't free, you little shit."

"You shouldn't drink either, Ace…," I sighed.

"You sound like Lora," he muttered into the empty flask. He tipped it back in hopes of one last drop.

Cyclonis grumbled to herself, shooting the flask out of his hand. "Do you not understand the gravity of this situation, you ungrateful mutt?"

With a laugh, I stepped forward, rubbing my bindings against my back. "If I may add my two cents… I don't belong here."

"Shut up, Fury. I know exactly where you belong. It's not where you wish to be but it's exactly where you're going to be. Either pretend like you enjoy it or end up like Elle…"

I bit back every word, stepping back into the shadows. She… knew…

"Now… if we could kindly get back to business…"

I looked toward Ben, who proceeded in rolling around on the floor. Once the boy sat up, he began crawling on his hands and knees. "Oi, Acey boy… You have some lipstick on your ass…" He shot a gaze toward me. "She doesn't wear any lipstick… Cyclonis McLooney… Do you wear any… any lipstick?" he asked, unable to contain his laughter.

"Someone please shut him the _hell_ up before I do!" Ace growled.

"My pleasure," I spoke slyly walking toward the boy. He looked up toward me as I leaned over, aiming his gaze toward my chest.

"Woof…," he barked with a smile, his eyes glazed over.

"Shut up, you drunk," I growled, forcing a kiss onto the drunken talon. Only moments later did he fall to the ground, unconscious.

"This brings a whole new meaning to the kiss of death…" Ace watched me closely as I stepped back into the darkness, shielded from the light. "How do you know this kid?"

"Fuck off, mutt. I don't even know the kid."

"Could we kindly save your personal problems for when you two get home? It's already sick enough that I have to stand in the room with two former Storm Hawks. I don't need to hear about your sex life."

"…She's not my…," Ace muttered.

"….Piss off, Cyclonis. The only good this mutt could do would be standing at the podium, giving daily speeches to the talons and keep a straight face while you give him a blowjob. I highly doubt that's fiction, so I'd keep your mouth shut."

Cyclonis turned around, examining her desk. "….Moving on…"

"You're glowing, my dear," Ace laughed.

"….Could you keep it in your pants for five seconds? I'm trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing here so I can further my argument to _leave_."

"He's not lying," Cyclonis sneered. "You light up when you're angry. You're quite the specimen… And I thought the tattoos were just teenage angst, like the one on Ace's—"

"I-I'm sorry," I interrupted, laughing. "Have you two…?"

Before I could recover from a blink, Cyclonis was before me, her hand around my neck. "We share a common trait… I'd keep your mouth shut as well, _Kai_."

"Well put," I squeaked, gripping her wrist. "You… you forget…," I strained with a grin. "It's… who pulls the trigger first..." I closed my eyes, tightening my grip around her wrist. She watched in fear as the markings on my skin transferred to her own, racing up her arm. The light pierced through her cloak, crawling like a spider around her eye. I watched as the intricate markings bore scars in her iris, lighting up like my own.

With a smile, I opened my eyes lazily. "You forget… I will always pull the trigger first…" I let my head fall back against her grip, smiling contently. As she fell to the ground, I traced my fingertips against the palm of her hand. I stood warily on the ground, facing Ace.

"I think we're done here."

Ace's gaze shot from curious to worried as I stepped forward, and the talon raced toward me, catching me as I fell.

As my vision began to fade to black, I smiled. My memory flashed back to the Talon academy, and the trip to Cyclonia. "Would it look bad if Master Cyclonis disappeared on your watch?"

"It'd still look bad if a trainee disappeared…"

"So you do remember…" I smiled. "You're still lying, Ace…"

ooo

"What's this about an Aurora crystal?"

I shook my head, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. "Yeah… I'm not the right person to ask right now…" I looked around, my head propped up in my hand. A gust of wind threw my bangs back in my eyes, along with grains of sand.

"C'mon, Fury, don't be such a bitch…"

"Don't talk to me, Ben…"

"Hey, just because they tossed us into the middle of Saharr doesn't mean we're entirely in deep shit…"

"Don't think they'll hear you scream, either…"

He laid back, rolling onto his side, facing away from me. "Fine then… I'll find my own way out of this hell hole."

I stood up, beginning to drag Ben through the sand by the collar of his shirt. "Let's go, Ben."

"Hey! Hey, not cool!"


	3. Miss Me?

_Kai_

"What happened to Ben?"

"Ben…?"

"You watched after him, didn't you?"

"I… I… Ben…?"

The man sighed. "When did you last see the Storm Hawks?"

"I… I was with Lora… We saw them on a news reel. That kid… Aerrow, he… he was taking the credit for…"

"For something you did?" The man laughed. "Starting to remember, are we?"

"No… This wasn't my fault…!"

ooo

"She's not here. Hm." I chucked my cloak across the room, disregarding the fact that it missed my bed entirely.

"Who do you share the place with?"

"No one worth talking about."

The boy sat on my bed. "She hot?" he asked with a grin.

"She's a bitch…"

"Much like yourself, then… Understandable."

I shook my head, looking around the bunker. "You can take her bed until she kicks you out."

"But I've already made myself so comfortable on yours…," Ben whined, leaning back.

"Ha, ha. Get off." I stepped forward, opening a small drawer. I began to pull off my shirt.

"Whoa, whoa, hey… What are you doing?" Ben asked, sitting up quickly.

"Undressing, why?" I glanced over my shoulder. "Do you have a problem with this?"

He placed his fingertips on the side of his head, his eyes shut tightly for a moment. "…I have a hangover, I'm recovering from heat exhaustion… Couldn't you have done this when I was _drunk_ at the very least?"

I smiled, turning back around as I continued to remove my shirt. "You're so defensive. What's so wrong about it…?" I tossed my armor across the room, carefully removing the rest of my clothing.

"You're undressing…"

"Ah, so it turns you on, talon… You're such a guy…"

"Hey," he chuckled, lying down on my bed, "I'm just saying, if you're not willing to share, you might as well not flaunt it."

"Who said I was _merely_ teasing you…?" I stepped lightly across the room, sitting beside the boy on my bed. "My bed, my rules." I crawled over him, taking a dominant pose.

Ben laughed. "You're serious…?"

"When in the past two minutes did I say I was kidding?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just checking…" Ben reached up to brush my bangs from my eyes, but I pinned his hands down, staring him dead in the eye. "…Should I be scared…?"

"Very."

ooo

"Hey, get up," I groaned. "Ben…?" When the talon refused to move, I chucked my radio at his head.

"…Not cool…"

"What are you, ten? Get dressed. We have to go."

"Where?"

"Skyside Shanty. Lora… needs help, I guess."

"Lora… Lora…"

I sighed. "The girl's bed you messed up."

Ben looked at the sheets, then under them. "…Um."

"The other bed."

"….Oh…"

"Hurry up, you have thirty seconds before I drag your ass out that door naked."

Ben shot up and out of my bed, clutching a sheet to his waist. He scratched at his scalp as he walked to the bathroom. As he grasped the door, beginning to shut it behind him, the brunette peered beyond the doorway, a rather amazed look on his face.

"What?" I asked, lacing up my boots.

He shook his head, laughing. "Wow…" Ben shut the door, shuffling around beyond the wall.

"Ten seconds!" I teased, pulling open the front door to the bunker. Our Cyclonian neighbors stared at me with distaste, and I flipped them off before slamming the door on their burning stares.

Ben pulled open the bathroom door, stumbling out of the small room. "That was _not_ ten seconds, you liar!" He struggled with the button on his jeans, frantically looking around the room.

"I haven't left yet…" I stepped towards him, lending the talon a hand. "You worry too much. You know, I could just lock you out of my bunker and make you find your own damn way out of here."

"You're too good for one night stands," he laughed.

"Am I?" I asked slyly, walking toward the window. In one swift motion, I sat on the ledge and pushed myself off, diving through the air.

I could hear him yell—confused and angered. He didn't get it.

I laughed at his stupidity, picking my target. Three hundred meters down with only two seconds to decide before I cleared the busy airspace and my chance at survival went from slim to none. I chose my target and landed feet-first on the tip of the Skimmer's wing, sending it into a 360. When the wing turned under, I released it, grabbing hold of the other just in time to be flung onto the pilot's seat. I stood up straight and laughed.

Utterly confused, the man barely had the chance to speak before I shoved him off the seat and took over. Luckily, the man was smart and packed a 'chute. If he knew his geography well, he would remember that the Atmosian forest was below him, and the man would be in luck… so long as someone found him.

I flew back up to a frantic Ben, speaking dryly as to disregard his panic. "Get on, we're late."

"…But… You… Wait, this…"

"Just shut up and get on…"

"….How the fuck…?"

"I never use the front door, now get on!"

Ben tugged on the hem of his jacket, flipping over his collar.

"You might want this, Benny boy." I leaned back, jamming a helmet onto his head.

With his hand on the metal contraption, Ben looked at me with wide eyes and said: "Why?"

And I replied slyly, "Because I'm a horrible pilot."

ooo

"Hey," I sighed, rushing into the odd place. "Hey! LORA!"

"What? I swear, I wasn't sleeping!" Lora started, looking around frantically.

"Sounds like a bad run-in with some talons…"

"You… could say that," she laughed.

"Hey…," Ben said, out of breath.

"Who is—"

"Ben, Lora—Lora, Ben."

"Nice you meet you… Sorry to have met you under these conditions, but…"

Lora watched him, confused. "Under… what conditions…?"

I smiled, brushing my bangs out of my eyes. "What's up?"

"I think we need to talk, Kai…"

I glanced around the Fisherman's hangout, trying to find something edible. "I need to eat…"

Lora slid off the chair, brushing off her backside. "My treat."

With a sly grin, I reminded her, "Not that kind of food, mate…"

She sighed, shoving me to the side. "I'm getting fries, I don't care about you."

"C-can I have some?" Ben piped up. He seemed to fear us both equally, as the boy should.

"….Sure, why not."

Ben sat down, trying to catch his nerves—if the flight over didn't kill him, the aftershock would.

I shot over to the other side of the diner, sitting quietly besides a fisherman's group. I was the best thing that had walked into the diner, and that was how I was going to act to get what I wanted.

"Well, well, lookie here… I know this broad. She saved our ship, lads!"

I sighed. "Goddamn it…" If I had any better luck, I would've known to keep my mouth shut. Sadly, that wasn't the case. Memories of the forbidden talon attack on the fishermen's boat came flooding forth, and I relived the pain—I revisited the burning questions.

"H-how many of you survived…?"

The captain looked at me with a grim, sun-burnt face. "Aye, no more than two o'us 'ere, mate…"

I slammed my fist against the table, looking downward.

"Don't be sad, girlie… Hey, we all owe ye'r lives!"

"You saved our captain… No matter who was crew at the time, we look up to him… Therefore we owe you everything."

I watched with beaming eyes. "You got any crystals on you?"

The men patted themselves down, slamming anything they had in their pockets onto the counter, shoving their meals aside.

"Anythin', take it, it's yers."

I smiled gratefully, scanning the counter. I didn't want to seem eager, so I took only two crystals. However, I wasn't going to leave them without thanks of my own. "I… know you guys think you're indebted to me… but I feel indebted to you. That whole… scenario pretty much set me up for who I am today. Here," I paused, digging through my bag. "You'll love this. Next time you guys set off, start up your ship with this." I handed the captain a key, who immediately looked it over. "Never refuel again, sound fair?"

"N-no!" one of the deck boys protested. "Why… don't you keep it for yourself?"

I shrugged with a grin. "I don't focus on material possessions… Take it." I slid off the barstool, grabbing the captain's beer on my way out. I tipped the glass to the ceiling, a silent thanks once more, and headed back to Lora.

Lora stood quiet for a moment, examining the diner before her eyes hit the talon. She watched him warily, studying his hair, his eyes, his lazy grin… She looked back at me and spoke dryly, "You slept with him, didn't you?"

"It was just sex, I swear," I spoke quickly, downing the beer.

"You used my bed, too!"

I spoke quickly once more, stifling a belch, "…I thought about it."

"YOU BITCH!"

I laughed, looking away. I sipped at the last of the beer before running off with her fries.

"Hey!" she called out, slamming what was due on the counter before chasing after me.

I quickly slid into the booth next to Ben, stuffing as many fries into my face as possible before the monster so rudely ripped the tray from my hands.

I couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

"You're such a child!" she shouted.

I continued to laugh, giving her a mere thumbs up when I realized my mouth was too full to speak.

Lora sat down, guarding her fries with her life. Even Ben seemed disappointed that I had gotten to them first. I forced a sarcastic grin at the monster before fumbling with the crystals. I set them on the table, poking at them like soggy sandcakes.

"What exactly do you plan on doing with those?" Ben asked.

I sighed, placing a hand on top of either of them. They both disappeared. "Nothing."

"…..Oh…," he said quietly.

Lora spun the half-full tray around, pushing it to the middle of the table. A murderous glare managed to keep my hands away, but not Ben's, who was desperately hungry. "Kai, there's a reason I called you here."

"Not 'cause your dad died?" Ben asked, his mouth full.

She shook her head, sending another glare my way. "No… he… died in a talon attack."

"Wasn't me, I swear."

Yet another glare.

"I'll explain later, okay?" I whispered, resting my head against the table.

Ben leaned over, watching me curiously. "Manners, Love…"

I reached up and gripped his arm. The boy's head hit the table, matching my own pose. "Manners…," I laughed. He would only be out for a moment.

"You better explain to him that it was purely sex before he develops feelings for you…"

I rested my hand on his arm for a moment more, flipping my head on its other side. "Too late."

Lora looked up, shifting in her seat.

"Do you guys want anything else to eat?"

"No, I already stole her fries, I'm full," I responded without thinking to the man I thought was a waiter.

"Typical," he groaned, sitting down with a thud.

Waiters don't sit…

I sat up like lightning, gripping his neck. "What are you doing here?" I shouted.

The red-head clawed at my hand. "N-nice to see you, too," he groaned.

Ben sat up.

Lora propped her head up in her hands, speaking to Ben in his groggy state. "Somehow, I knew this would happen."

"Whoa… Storm Hawk at our table… I should be doing something about this, shouldn't I…?"

"No, I'm… I'm just here on business… I swear… Let me go, Kai."

"Suuuure, you want me to let go _now_."

"Let go, Kai," Lora echoed.

Aerrow took in a sharp breath as I began to drain his energy. "Put me the hell _down_!"

I let go, curling up in my seat like a child. I grumbled profanities loudly to myself. "Damn, you've changed," I growled.

"_Damn_, you haven't," he mocked.

"Would you two please shut the hell up for two seconds?" Lora asked.

I smiled at the waitress who brought a drink to the table. "Excuse me," I called her back. "You are absolutely stunning… Are you from Lynn?" I asked her, noting her blond locks.

She shook her head, glancing away as she blushed. "N-no, I'm from Atmosia…"

"My, my," I laughed. "I could've sworn you have that Lynn nature about you… So beautiful."

Aerrow gritted his teeth.

"….W-why thank you…," she said gratefully, walking away feeling a bit more cheerful.

I forced another sarcastic grin toward Aerrow.

"What are you, gay?"

"I was about to ask you the same question."

Aerrow looked away. He muttered something under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that, Miss Strike."

"Up yours!"

"Hey! Both of you, shut up!" Lora interrupted.

We both glared at the girl. "PISS OFF!"

"… Well… Now I see where Kai gets it from…" She cleared her throat.

"No," Ben contradicted. "She gets it from the Dark Ace. Might explain where Aerrow gets it too, isn't that right, Storm Hawk?"

"…HEY!"

"Oi, he might be right!" I smiled at Lora, then Ben. "Miss Aerrow Strike has a little crushy-poo on Ace!"

Aerrow slammed his head against the table. "Fuck all of you."

I laughed uncontrollably, wiping my eyes before petting Aerrow's hair. "It's okay…," I laughed. "We… we still love you and accept you, even if you are gay…"

Aerrow looked up, an expression of torture and suffering in his eyes. "Don't touch the hair."

My hands froze in their tracks, his hair sprouting up from between my fingers. "Why not? Would you rather I pull it?"

Ben choked on his drink.

Before I had the chance to even grip onto his hair, Aerrow stood up, a hand behind his back carefully lingering over a blade. "No, pulling it would show you had some interest in me… Wouldn't want to make you a liar…" He looked away.

I stood up, stepping close to the boy.

"You haven't grown an inch in four years."

I looked down at his waist, slipping a finger behind his belt to pull him closer. "I bet you haven't either."

"Wait, WHAT?" Ben asked, startled, still choking on the drink.

Aerrow slipped backwards, pulling his blades from his back. He couldn't keep his eyes on me, nor could he keep the color from his cheeks.

"You're so mean to him," Ben laughed. "What, did you guys fuck, or something?"

I smiled. "Can we talk later? He looks like he's trying to kill me…"

"Oi! Storm Hawk! Don't make me call the authorities to have your ass hauled out of here!"

Aerrow looked over his shoulder toward the barkeep. "…You've got to be kidding…"

The man stepped back, realizing Aerrow _was_ the law…

"Think fast," I whispered, appearing before him in an instant. "Hey, cutie," I breathed, trailing a finger over his lips. I appeared again behind him, trailing the same hand down his spine. "I like the new getup… Where'd you get the headgear? Lora's closet?"

After having stolen the drink from Ben, Lora proceeds to choke on it as well.

"Or was that Ace's…"

"I made the damn thing for Ace!" Lora interjected.

"Lora's it is…"

Aerrow spun on his heels, finding me to be missing once more.

I tapped his shoulder, appearing behind him. "Yoo-hoo. Over here, cutie."

"I assume it's a bit late to ask if they know each other…," Ben muttered.

Lora sighed.

"Are we going to fight, or are you just gonna stand there with your blades up, pissing yourself?"

Aerrow charged forward, but I appeared behind him. I placed my hand on his back and pushed him over. The Sky Knight lost balance, but managed to catch himself before he fell. "It's not a fair fight if you do that."

"Who said life was fair?" I laughed. I appeared and disappeared, again and again, seeing the frustration in his stance. His knuckles were pure white, and his green eyes—a blazing red. In a last attempt to fuel the fire, I stuck my tongue out at the boy, eyes closed.

He charged at me, and I was caught. He pinned me against the wall, and out of breath, he said: "I win."

My eyes went wide when I realized Aerrow had overpowered me. Something in his grip kept me from appearing elsewhere. My skin flashed from transparent to opaque, but my body stayed still.

He looked down at our feet, trying to catch his breath. I noted his blades were back in place against his back—how he managed to put them there and pin me against the wall would be better left unquestioned.

I sighed. "You win."

He smiled, staring me down.

I blinked. "You… you look just like your father…" A wave of crystal energy flowed over my face, causing them to gradually light up. I could see the wave in his eyes. It wasn't anger—no. It was curiosity.

Aerrow smiled, his gaze narrowing.

I clenched my fists, my wrists still in his grasp.

He watched me for a moment more, leaning in with the silence. "It's really good to see you again…," he breathed.

Ben sent a wolf call from across the bar, standing up in the booth to see what was going on.

As he leaned closer, I realized just exactly what he was doing. I looked away. "I found an Aurora stone."

Aerrow rested his forehead against my own, almost in exasperation. His eyes glazed over and wide, he replied, "You… what?"


	4. Let's Not and Say We Did

_Kai_  
"So how did Aerrow get a hold of it?"

"Aerrow took credit for it. He never kept the Stone... I had it. I _have_ it."

"Lora was living with the Storm Hawks. How did she get mixed up into the Talon investigation?"

"I... I can't remember. I really can't."

"How do you remember the news reel and the Stone, but not the rest?"

I hid my eyes, my gaze travelling wildly with each thought-each memory. "I won't remember," I stated plainly. "At least, I won't admit to it." I feigned a smile, lifting my now steadied gaze in his direction. "Talons know better than to deal with the enemy, regardless of whose side they're on..."

He looked away, gathering yet another argument. "And what about Lora…?"

I sighed. "She's always been a Talon."

The man looked startled. "And you thought it was okay to be outright friends with a Talon?"

I stuttered, "I-I… I… never thought about it…" Memories were starting to conflict. I felt my emotions tugging in one direction, while apparent facts pulled in another.

"Hm," he laughed triumphantly.

I tugged at my bonds questioningly.

He shook his head, dismissing my inquiry. "Who got the stone back from Cyclonis?

_Lora_

"What are you doing?" Kai asked, twirling a sucker between her fingers.

I plugged my nose, spraying my sheets incessantly. "Cleaning my bed."

"But you just washed those…"

I nodded. "You two disgust me."

Kai laughed. "I told you, I only thought about it."

I glared at the golden-haired girl. "You're weird enough as it is. Who's to say your thoughts don't come to life when you aren't looking?"

Her expression fell flat. "Get back to cleaning, you OCD freak..." Kai picked at the snack in her hand, ignoring the burnt end. She was such a picky child—she always had been, always will be.

I stepped back from my bed, proud with a job well done, yet still unhappy with the reason I had to clean it. It had only been a few weeks since we started working with the Storm Hawks—or more strictly, Aerrow alone under the squadron's name—and it was obvious neither Aerrow nor Kai wanted to do it. They were constantly arguing about the smallest detail, like the maps weren't straight enough or they had a crease in them… Or the fact that Aerrow was breathing too loudly. It was… unnecessary. Although we had worked exclusively in our small group of three, the other Storm Hawks were anxious to join in—of course, Aerrow and I had done our best until now to keep Kai a secret.

We knew it wouldn't last long.

A small trip to the Condor would call the end to the mystery, but would spark more trouble than I bargained for… I knew what they wanted…

I could tell by the looks on their faces that they were disappointed to see me. Or rather, /just/ me. Aerrow knew their request was an unlikely one, and although he did much less than his best to fulfill their wishes, the guilt was overwhelming.  
Finn was silent, an unlikely feat for the marksman. Of the entire team, his body language showed he missed her the most. His reasoning being over regret or emotion, however, I could not determine. Finn sat down at the table, motioning Piper over. He whispered in her ear a secret not meant for mixed company and she frowned, stepping toward Aerrow.

"Kai…?"

I nodded. "She's been living with me since she left… I know, _I know_, it was rude of me not to say anything… But can you blame me?"

Finn looked to the side, rubbing his neck. "Just wish you would've said something…"

I rolled my eyes. "But you all know that's not why I'm here, and I'm sure we both have different objectives.

"She found an Aurora Stone," I announced simply, not wasting time over why Kai was not with us; they already knew the answer.

Aerrow scratched at his cheek under his headgear, contemplating several scenarios and solutions at once. His green eyes never stayed stationary for long. Aerrow pulled a small, plush coin bag from his pocket, tossing it across the table. He left out explanation to continue contemplating.

"So...?" Finn interjected, finding the silence quite awkward.

"Did you not hear me?"

Finn shook his head. "It doesn't really matter when Kai is involved." Aerrow flinched with his words, scratching at his scalp. He plunged deeper into thought.

Piper shook her head. She understood what he was doing was evasion-shed known him too long to not see when a topic touched a raw nerve. "The Stone isn't with Kai, is it?"

"Worse..."

"Cyclonis has it," Aerrow growled, inspecting his thumbnail.

"Kai works closely with many people involved with Cyclonia, but that also makes her easily manipulated by the head Anarchist, herself, as well as her puppet."

"I doubt that the Dark Ace would get his hands on it anytime soon, so a recovery mission is out of the question." With a light pause, he reaffixed his gaze to my own. "I'm assuming this means you don't work with the Dark Ace, then?" Aerrow asked.

I shook my head. "I haven't been within five feet of the ungrateful bastard since the night on the fishing boat five years ago."

Aerrow crossed his arms.

"Excluding when he… you know what? This doesn't matter!" I protested. "Can we get back to the task at hand?"

"What about Kai?" Stork questioned.

"Kai isn't a Talon," I told him. "She's an ally, but not close enough to infiltrate."

Aerrow hummed. "We can't just leave the Stone in Cyclonis' clutches, either. It wouldn't take her long to break it down and reproduce something even more powerful..."

Junko watched the group for a moment before leaving the room, tending to something more important.

Piper looked at me. We both knew our best hope was an option Aerrow didn't want to afford, and one that was as dangerous as it was beneficial.

"If we're going to get it back… we need to trust Kai."

"Aerrow…," Piper spoke softly.

Aerrow looked away.

"You know we have to," I agreed.

"I'm not going to let her win."

"You don't have to ask her. Hell, I have to confront her, and God knows she most likely won't say yes."

"I don't want to work with her," Aerrow stated. "You can_not_ change my mind."

I laughed. "Wanna bet? I saw you two before…"

He looked away.

Finn hit his fist against the table—jealousy burned in his eyes. He didn't understand why Aerrow was allowed to see her, and yet he had not been. "Kai will only agree if the reward is the crystal itself."

"We can't afford to leave it in Cyclonis' possession," I retorted.

"But can we afford to let Kai get to it first? She can't resist its power for long." Aerrow had a point.

"But which is worse? Cyclonis has an army behind her!" Piper argued.

Aerrow closed his eyes and spoke sternly, "But if Kai had the power of the Stone in her grasp... Could you doubt _her_ ability to gather an army?"

Stork smiled. "If she hasn't changed...she would crumble under the pressure of an army." His lips twitched. "And I'll bet she knows it too."

Aerrow froze.

"She works alone," I added. "Even with Ace at her disposal, she refuses his help regarding anything other than transportation."

"And you?" Aerrow asked. "What do you and the Dark Ace do?" he seethed.

I looked away. "I don't work with him." Apparently my prior statement about Ace had gotten me nowhere.

The awkward one-sided argument forced the rest of their team to their own thoughts. Finn broke the silence. "If you two are going to act so childishly over this, I'll do it... just to get you two to stop your pointless bickering. I'll get Kai to say yes."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Not on your life, Blondie."

He grumbled as he shook his head.

"When Kai gets back from her mission…," I began, watching Finn's eyes light up, "… we need to get her on the ship. I can fly her over. Piper, you'll need to keep her here. What were those contraptions you gave her before? Did you continue to work on them?"

She shook her head. "She took them with her when she left. I do have a work-in-progress pair that I started after I gave her the prototypes… But they lack a lot of what I hoped for."

I nodded. "Hm… Get to work on them; we'll need them to keep her on board. Any chance you get to make them non-removable without a key would be great."

She nodded. "Gotcha."

Aerrow sighed. "What about the Stone? How do you plan to get it from Cyclonis?"

"I don't… know… entirely. My thought was to get those contraptions onto Kai's hands and… somehow get her to comply without killing us all."

Aerrow smiled mischievously. "How much you wanna bet she dissolves the gloves?"

Finn raised his hand up real high. "I have… I have ten bucks!"

The redhead shook his head. "Yeah… Lora, if you can get her on the ship, I can get her to comply… Don't take this as my saying I'm willing to work with her."

Stork crossed his arms. "It means he's going to threaten her by saying they'll be working closely together otherwise."

I laughed. "She'll work on her own, and quicker, if you say that."

Aerrow glanced over his shoulder. "I have food cooking in the kitchen."

Finn coughed, "No you don't, bro."

He quickly left the room.

I laughed. "Guys… I know I have a lot to make up for, hiding Kai and all…"

Piper sighed. "Lora, don't apologize. I understand why you did it—"

"I don't!" Finn interjected.

"—but you can't take Aerrow's brashness personally. He still holds a lot against everything surrounding Kai… And the Dark Ace…"

"Ace has nothing to do with this."

Finn tapped his foot in the air, a devilish smile on his face. "Yes he did," Finn sang. "Ace was the only one there when Aerrow was not… other than yours truly… When Aerrow was too busy, Kai went to _moi_… or Ace—"

Piper smacked the back of Finn's head, causing a sudden interruption.

"—but! That's not the point." He paused, laughing nervously as he eyed his lover with caution. "Ace was there when Aerrow wasn't. He convinced her to leave…"

I looked away, the silence leaving questions in the air.

Piper's eyes grew wide with curiosity—and pain. "You… convinced her…?"

"I told Kai to leave if she was unhappy. I… may have given her an option or two pointing in the… bounty hunting direction…"

Finn charged up from his seat. "You made her leave…?"

Piper reached out. "Finn, what is wrong with you?"

Finn stepped toward me, a stern look coating his blue eyes. "Do you understand what you did? You tore apart our team… Junko had the _worst_ time trying to undo all of Kai's mods on our bikes so he could simply _fix _them without ruining them! Junko just about jumped ship after four months. Piper and Aerrow fought… a-annoyingly up until _very_ recently!" Finn was never a master with words. "Do you know how hard it was to pull Aerrow out of depression after the incident on Botagon?"

"Does she even know about that?" Piper accused, trying to get him to back off.

"It was devastating to learn she hadn't just run off… Sure we were happy she was alive, but with _Dark Ace?_ Really? Do you _think_ Aer needed that after thinking it was all his fault? He ruined my nose and broke my fingers!" He held up a hand, failing to fully flex two fingers on his left hand. "You do understand what this means."

I stepped back. "Finn, I…"

"Yeah. I've been reduced to Piper's level." He crossed his arms.

"Hey!"

Finn looked quite saddened. As he turned around, I started to reach out, but pulled back my hand. "Finn, this isn't my fault. I told Kai to do what she was happy. Don't take this out on me just because you can't shoot that stupid little toy of yours!"

His lips tightened into a thin line. "Don't you dare shrug off the responsibility here. Kai would never have left had she thought it was her only option!"

My expression fell flat. I just won the argument. "You mean keep Kai here while she suffered? You really would've kept her here had you known she was unhappy?"

Finn stood silent.

Aerrow reentered the room, picking at a stray string on his uniform. "What?" he asked as Piper and I watched him closely.

"You guys figure it out. I'm not helping you guys. You want the Stone from Cyclonis? You get Kai to agree to it. Find her your damn selves." I stepped back out onto the landing strip, gripping the handlebars on my bike. I rubbed my thumbs against the grips, contemplating another way around Kai. Who was I kidding? Aerrow would _never_ get over what happened five years ago… and Kai would never stop rubbing her success (on her own) in his face. Finn would never stop blaming people and Piper would always be caught in the middle. If I couldn't rely on any of them, I would have to retrieve it myself. However, keeping Kai out of my business would be easier said than done; and if Kai found out about my retrieval mission, stopping her would be almost impossible. If I was able to distract her, maybe she would be less trouble for me.


	5. Smile!

_Kai_

"To be honest, if it weren't for Aerrow, your case might've gone cold."

He shook his head. "You left quite the trail all by yourself, Miss Everett." He tossed a small coin purse across the table. "We didn't need Aerrow."

"How can you accuse me of something I've never done?"

"How do you not remember something as complex as the destruction of Cyclonia?"

I had nothing to do with Ace's betrayal eleven years ago. What makes you think I had anything to do with this?"

"You were eight or so at the time the original Storm Hawk squadron fell. Why would you bring it up?"

I looked away. "Premonition of future questions."

"What caused the feud between Aerrow and his squadron?"

"So you're accusing me of ruining their integrity? Of course…"

ooo

Although it wasn't uncommon for Lora to run off with Aerrow, even prior to my current involvement, her recent disappearance seemed suspicious. Normally, she would leave me a note (or a cookie and a note telling me "not to starve" while she was gone), or little hints as to why she had left, but this time there was nothing. Even worse, she left the bunker fridge empty and no cookie to save me from starvation.

Torch laughed. "Time to grow up, Kai. Let's go get food."

Instead, I chose to laze around all day, watching the news (which, might I add, was a feed I'd stolen from the neighbor downstairs) mindlessly. I groaned, hitting my head against the wall out of boredom. Suddenly, Aerrow popped up on the news. I shot forward, inadvertently flying off the bed. I lay watching the news upside-down as Aerrow displayed a proud grin.

"Lookie-lookie," I laughed. "Aerrow's on the tee-vee!"

The redhead stood before a large audience and a podium. He spoke loudly as to carry his voice through the entire audience. "_Today, my team and I have uncovered something quite astonishing: a second Aurora Stone_." My eyes went wide. "_Although the shards are under safe guard here on Atmosia, the Storm Hawks and I have agreed to keep the new Stone under our unrelenting watch. As one of, or maybe even the most powerful Crystals in all of Atmos, we do not want a repeat of the Carver incident six years ago. You can trust it will be in safe hands. If the Stone is needed for any reason, it will be offered. Until then, we are keeping it in an undisclosed location…_"

I scooted closer to the projector screen, lifting the light onto my skin as I touched where Aerrow's face was. "You bastard! You… you ungrateful _bastard!_"

Lora slammed the door behind her and crawled over me, entering the small bunker. "Why is he ungrateful? Did he bang someone without your permission?"

"I'm sure the STD-infested freak wouldn't need my permission—no! The bastard took credit for the Aurora Stone _I_ found!"

Lora's jaw dropped. She covered her lips with her hand—which was carrying an odd camera—and turned away from me. "Bastard was quicker than I thought."

"Did you try to stop him?"

"Yes!" she lied.

I scrambled to my feet. "No, you didn't!"

"I had no idea this would be his plan!"

I blinked, waiting for an explanation.

"Aerrow… wanted to ask you to help him with something. I suppose they just did it themselves. Kai, if Aerrow is taking credit for it, it's because he retrieved the stone himself."

I scanned her body for the slightest hint of deceit. She was torn 50-50. "Without considering us? We were planning this _ourselves_! This was a team thing!"

"No, Kai; this was a _you_ thing. Would you have done the same thing? … Yes or no!"

"Yes! But that's beside the point. They expect me to take credit. They don't expect the leader of the S_torm Hawks_ to take credit based on a _lie!_"

Lora sighed. Her body still showed she was torn between the truth and a lie. I couldn't discern which was which. Her lips twitched into a malicious grin. "I know where they're keeping it."

I fell back onto my bed, crossing my legs. "Oh, and why on Atmos would you choose to tell _me _of all people?"

Lora smiled. "Not gonna."

I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Really? You're gonna be immature about this and play 'keep away from the freak girl'?"

Lora passed it off with a not-telling grin and a wiggle as she walked to her bed. I waited the rest of the afternoon out in the bed, watching the live conference between the Storm Boy and his peers. As it concluded, I knew the team would be heading back to the ship. Knowing Aerrow and Piper, between the two of them they couldn't come up with a safe 'undisclosed location' to save their lives. And with that, a plan was born.

I sat in silence, patiently waiting for the signal to go—Lora's quiet snore. She tugged the covers over her head and it was only a matter of moments before the brunette was _out_.

I threw the blankets off my lap in a wild manner and scrambled to my feet. I tip-toed toward my shoes and pulled them on, lacing them up high. Lora shoved the covers off her face and I froze—it only took a moment before she sucked in a breath that caught in her nose. I sighed and raced to the window. I threw it open and crawled onto the ledge. I stepped onto the thin ledge and held myself up by the handle welded to the wall. The night breeze blew my unwoven hair through the stars, and the lack of sky rides was disheartening. I leaned over, my head hanging over behind me. I used my free hand to tug the window closed—silently—and examined my options once more.

There were three problems.

One, what if I couldn't get a ride?

Two, what if Aerrow was still awake?

Three, what if I ran into someone on the ship? Forget Aerrow; if I run into anyone, I'm screwed.

I dug through my satchel with my free hand, feeling my way around the crystals. My sight wasn't needed—they spoke to me. I closed my eyes and greeted my friends with a warm hello. Torch released himself from my necklace, taking in the midnight air.

"Nice to see you're working your night-capades again, Fury."

I rolled my eyes. "Bastard Aerrow took credit for the Stone. I'm gonna set him straight."

"Physically or illegally?"

"Both, if I have to." I let out a held breath with a grin, pulling out an odd crystal. "Think this will get me safely to the Condor?"

Torch looked around, noting my dilemma. "I wouldn't rely on it. I see your problem though…"

The crystal crumbled in my grasp and I sighed. "Isn't it my only choice?"

"Where's the Condor?"

"Their last known coords. were sent out somewhere near Atmosia. I figure shoot for there, maybe I'll land somewhere nearby." I nodded to myself, reassuring my doubt that the plan wouldn't get me killed. Although I could transport myself small distances (as I had while evading Aerrow at the bar), it couldn't take me from the outskirts of Cyclonia all the way across Atmos. This crystal—its name escapes me, although it's a pretty translucent blue—would take me as far as I wanted to go. How long the power would remain in my veins was a different story.

I closed my eyes and let the power of the crystal overwhelm me—a rush of wind surrounded my body, the metal platform beneath my feet disappearing. Voices of ancients surrounded my entire being, singing harmoniously in dialects unfamiliar to myself. Their presence became one I'd grown used to—their voices became something that calmed my nerves. Present in the time of need, I heard them sing whenever I called upon any source of crystal energy. Who—or what—they were, however, was entirely a mystery.

I kept my eyes shut as my feet returned to solid ground. The wind became chilled and soft, and the atmospheric pressure changed. How high up was I? I calmed my breathing, my skin crawling with residual energy. Quiet creaking of rusted metal rung out through the air, and I smiled. "Hello, old friend," I whispered to the metal beast. I'm sure it was as happy to see me as was I.

I opened my eyes, breathing a sigh of relief as my senses caught up with me. That smell—those sounds… I was home, and my body knew it. What it didn't know, however, was the disappointment to come when I had to tear myself away from the carrier ship.

I stepped lightly across the metal, breathing in the old atmosphere. Maybe I hadn't changed, but the Condor sure had... Its metal had worn and rusted—something I never thought Stork would allow. Had the little green guy grown out of his OCD phase? I sighed, taking three more steps.

Oh. Right. Could I just walk in through the front door? No. I sat down, letting the chilling wind overtake me. I knew a lot about this ship, compared to the rest of the general public. But how much of it did I _really_ remember? Storks booby-traps were as touchy as the Council's security system. That ship was airtight, and from the feeling in my veins, transporting myself through the walls was _not_ an option. So how did I get in before after sneaking out? Right... Stork let me in...

A sudden wave of depression washed over me. The only person I could rely on I simply couldn't ask for help.

I remembered the outlet to the purple room. The window in that dreaded room was warped and couldn't lock; but how would I get around to the side of the ship while it's flying? What about the hatch to Stork's room? Would he alert the rest of the ship if I woke him? I didn't doubt it.

"Torch..."

"Yeah?" He called, flying around me in a moment's time.

"Find me a way in."

Instinctively, Torch flew to the door. Passing through the thick steel to the interior, he disappeared beyond the wall. His quick return shot my hopes up; I smiled. "Door's unlocked..."

"That's unlikely for Stork... You sure?"

He gave a quick smile before returning to my necklace.

I stepped across the landing strip to the hangar door, figuring it would make the usual creak when opened. The ship already made enough noise on its own. Would one more groan have made a difference? I laughed quietly, tugging on the handle. "Of course not." The door pulled open as expected, groaning quietly at the hinges. I contemplated leaving it open for a quick escape, but what good would that do if Stork woke up and found it open? He would lock down the ship, and I'd be screwed. I reluctantly closed the door and tiptoed across the ship. Suddenly, a disheartening realization struck me.

What it Radarr woke up...?

I shook the chilling thought from my head and continued onward. Where would a clueless leader hide the Atmos' most powerful crystal? His room? Too obvious... He wouldn't dare leave it with Finn; that would be worse than leaving it with Cyclonis. Piper would rather guard it with her life, but would Aerrow trust Piper not to dissect it? Stork would be the only other to know about the crawlspace... would he trust the team with such "vital" information?

I sat down at the table, watching the control as they swung harmoniously with the ships subtle movements. Stork was still OCD, evident in his flawless autopilot.

I smiled. "Where would _I_ hide the Atmos' most powerful crystal...?" I tapped my fingers against the table, contemplating more scenarios. Then, at that very moment, my motive changed. A bit of mischief sounded extremely entertaining. I stood up, wondering just how sound of a sleeper Aerrow was. I walked to his room first, opening the door in one quick motion.

Not there...

My heart sank, but I moved onward. With Aerrow out of the way, I would be that much safer among enemies. I closed his door and glanced across the hallway. My room... I stayed away from temptation, climbing up the ladder to the second floor. Piper's lab was an easy target, but one I didn't set my sights on. I sprinted to the kitchen, freezing in my tracks. Who was that? Light emanating from the fridge cast a shadow—a rather sleepy-looking shadow stood hunched over as they rummaged through the fridge.

I clung to the wall, my breath caught in my throat. I felt my stomach threaten to empty itself. Aerrow, maybe? He wasn't in his bed, but his sheets were pulled tight. I doubt it was a midnight snack run—not with that level of coherent bed-making.

Piper didn't make grumbling noises in anything other than soprano... Neither Junko nor Stork stood so… lazily. Junko, being of a rather large build, and Stork—of a rather tall, gangly build—I turned my thoughts away from them. Who was left?

My knees fell weak, threatening to drop to the floor. I kept myself up solely by the fact that if I fell… Finn would hear me. What would be the best approach?

I leaned a bit away from the wall, thinking. If I were to leave now, I could be safe… but how would I get back to my bunker? If he saw me, would he wake up the rest of the team? What if… what if I were casual about it…?

I sighed. "Good question…," I mouthed silently, wondering how in the _hell_ I would _ever_ get back anyway. "Good going, Kai." I motioned a slap against my own face, mouthing a two-sided argument with myself. I brought up my hands, making puppets argue with each other.

Caught up in my thoughts, I'd forgotten my original purpose for being on forbidden territory. I snapped out of the insanity and stepped forward. The best option I had was to make friends… as much as I didn't want to.

I ruffled my hair, pulling it into a loose ponytail as quietly as possible. I tugged at my pjs, which were nowhere near decent enough to really walk around in, wrinkling the fabric as much as I could've in two seconds. Stepping forward, I sucked in what could've possibly been my last breath.

With a yawn, I addressed the sharp-shooter: "Do we have any baby carrots left?" My tone was sweet, yet groggy.

As expected—or at least, so I hoped—Finn didn't even flinch. "No… no, we have celery…" He yawned, scratching at his blond mess of a hairdo. "Not much though. Last stop didn't allow for… for noms…." He yawned again, slamming the door. "M-move, Kai, I'm going back to bed."

I glued myself to the doorway, leaning against the jam. "Share?"

The tired boy didn't flinch. "Please move, Kai…"

"Finn."

"….Fine." Another yawn before he rubbed his eyes, glancing at me. From the reflection in his baby blue eyes, I could see my own light up in a rippling wave of power that crawled down my right cheek.

That's when he flinched. Almost dropping the plate, Finn stammered wildly. Attempting to avoid making any more noise, he caught the plate, but spilled his drink. I laughed quietly, crouching to the floor. My hands instinctively ripped the nearest hand-towel off the hook.

"Tired, Blondie…?"

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" he whispered through clenched teeth. His hands flew to help me clean the mess he'd made, as if trying to act so nonchalantly.

"Get up, Blondie, no one else is awake anyway."

"What are you doing here?" he repeated, rising to his feet. Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his hair, grasping at the ends. He threatened to pull it out at the roots.

I mopped up the spill, picking the food back onto the plate piece-by-piece. "Don't ask me, I honestly don't know anymore."

Finn paced, kicking the kitchen chair. He grumbled profanities under his breath, frantically trying to take everything in _and_ find answers all at the same time. I watched, smiling as I silently finished cleaning up. I took the rag to the sink and rinsed it out. My hands lit up—my subconscious mind was quelling an emotion, and I didn't like the uncertainty.

"Finn…"

"Seriously, you can't be here. I have half a mind to wake up Aerrow!"

I stifled a laugh. "First off—HA. Half a mind!" I cleared my throat of the immaturity. "Second off—Aerrow's not here… So you're shit out of luck."

Finn froze. "Don't be a bitch, you're under my mercy."

I cocked my head from one side to the other, shrugging. "So, you have a point… Listen, Finn… I need to talk to you about the Aurora Stone…"

"AH-HA!" he said loudly, but not two seconds after his hands flew to his mouth. His voice dropped to a mere whisper, "I knew you were here for nothing good!"

I dropped the rag in the sink, my hands drying with a surge of burning crystal energy. "I could've said I was here because I want your dick… Now, would you have complained then?"

"Yes!" he said immediately. His frustrated composure dropped to a more serious and contemplative one. "Now, had you said that five years ago…"

"Drop it, Finn, that was your own damn fault."

"…. This is besides the point!" Finn paused, mouth agape. "We should… probably get out of the open." I smiled with his sudden realization. This meant he would help me.

Finn stepped off toward his room, ignoring his midnight snack that I'd cleaned up for him. I followed lightly after him, sticking to him like glue in the shadows. Suddenly, as he closed the door behind us, he dropped all thoughts of lecturing me, wrapping his arms around me. "I've missed you… Kai, you have no idea what you've done to our team…"

I chuckled nervously. "Finn, I know what kind of mark I've left. I may have done some damage, but do you know how hard you guys fought back after I left? Even Lora was impressed. I feel like I did some good."

Finn let go, stepping back. He crossed his arms out of spite.

"Don't you _dare_ pin this on me. I left because you and Aerrow couldn't contain themselves! You really think I deserve to be unhappy in my own _home_? You were all afraid to touch me! The _one_ person that wasn't was too busy to even pay one second of attention to his own _girlfriend_. You gave me five minutes. I appreciate it, but what fucking good did that do? Aerrow beat you into a pulp." I paused. "H-how's your hand…?"

Finn dropped his arms, looking away. I stepped toward the marksman, taking his hand lightly. I examined two of the thicker knuckles, finding myself unable to fully bend them at the joint. I kept myself from sucking in an unstable breath, my eyes filling with tears. I closed them in the darkness, hoping as they fell they wouldn't hit his skin. My hopes were shattered as he pulled his hand away. "You won't believe what happened after that…" In the dim light, his room aglow solely from the moon, I could see him rub his glove-covered hand. Even out of uniform, something kept him from taking it off.

"A Cyclonian invasion at the Bazaar had us all geared to the gills. Aerrow dragged the fight into the wastelands, hoping to draw the Dark Ace out. God only knows what his gay little obsession with the bastard is." Finn shook his head. "Talons separated the group and I got attacked from behind. I'm still healing, mind you. I couldn't shoot, so I was the distraction. Someone shoved my hand…" Finn looked away, clenching his fist. "My broken hand was shoved into the molten lava."

The tension in the air brought tears back to my eyes. "Finny…" I stepped toward the boy. His uninjured hand shot up toward my face. His thumb rubbed my cheek, clearing it of the tears.

"I blamed you for the longest time…"

I watched him in the darkness as he stood there, frozen in his memories.

"For… for what Aerrow did…" He rubbed his injured hand against his leg. "I never thought Aerrow would do something so…" He fell silent.

My face froze. His wrist lit up. "Aerrow did that to you…?"

"I never thought he would ever think to deliberately injure a teammate." A grown-up Finn sure sounded a lot more mature… "I never thought he would _deliberately_ shove my hand in lava… to get back at me for kissing you…"

I couldn't stop the tears. I felt _so_ guilty_._ Why I was letting such weak emotions overtake me was beyond my current thoughts. All I could think of was making it up to him. I held his wrist, looking into his eyes. I felt almost indebted to him over everything that'd happened.

Suddenly, Finn leaned in, and I didn't move. I didn't reject his forward movements. I moved my hand to his neck, closing my eyes. I knew where this was going, and I could tell neither of us were willing to stop it.

ooo

"WAKE UP."

"I sense history is repeating itself…," I groaned. "WHAT?"

"Get up! You're still here!"

My eyes widened, catching a frantic Finn—who was trying to pull his pants on, unsuccessfully—running around the room.

"I'm still on the Condor?"

"YES!"

I sighed, rolling off the bed. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to go. NOW." Finn threw my pile of clothes at me. "And fast. Please?"

I smiled, draping the sheet over me as I sat up on the floor. "How?"

Finn groaned. "You're kidding, right?" With a momentary pause, Finn sighed. "Can't you call _Acey_ or something?"

I laughed. "You think he would appreciate taking me on the flight of shame? Seriously?"

Finn hit his head against the wall several times.

"Fine. Give me your radio."

"Wrong frequency, Kai…," he noted as he threw it my way.

"You obviously don't remember who you're dealing with."

"Sleeping with…," Finn echoed, continuing to hit his head against the wall.

I rolled my eyes, twisting a few buttons on his radio. "Listen, I know you can hear me. You're not busy."

Silence.

"Ace, wake the _hell_ up. I'm in a jam. I need you now."

A bit of rustling crawled through the static. Whether Ace was fumbling with the radio out of anger or eagerness was a mystery, but he was awake now. "You what?"

"I need you," I muttered. "I'm stuck."

A moment of silence before Ace spoke up. "Uh… Okay, explain."

"I'm stuck on the Condor."

If the silence wasn't enough already, I would've thought this round was because he was laughing. "…Wh-whose pants did you get into…?"

I held the radio out. "Say hi, Finn." When the boy didn't respond, Ace laughed.

Finn hit his head against the wall; I swore he would break a hole straight through it.

"Stop it, you'll kill yourself," I told him, holding down the radio button.

"That's the point," Finn groaned.

Ace laughed. "Ten minutes." Static.

I threw his radio back at him. "Thanks."

"Thanks, Kai, tons of fun. Get off the Condor or you'll die… Fuck me."

I smiled.

"…. SHUT UP!"

ooo

I stepped out onto the landing strip, grinning madly at my ride. "Let's go."

Ace threw up a hand, shooting me a two-fingered salute.

I sighed, knowing Finn would either commit suicide or come clean the instant he ran into Aerrow. Finn wasn't trustworthy enough to do what I did… I wasn't entirely sure how it happened, or why. I was overcome with guilt—I blamed it on how much I owed Finn for ruining his life, his hobbies. He could never accurately shoot a crossbow again, and it was inadvertently my fault.

I walked across the metal strip toward Ace, clinging to his torso on the SwitchBlade. I smiled. His silence answered all of my questions. "You're jealous…"

"Of you getting laid… not of Finn."

I laughed. "Okay, Acey. If you're sure." I nuzzled my head against his back, trying to apologize for anything I might've done. As Ace flew away, a stray Skimmer caught my eye… and ours caught his.

Aerrow caught my eyes in the air, and all I could do was smile and shout, "See you tomorrow, Storm Boy!"

His landing was shaky—distracted—and all I could do was smile…


	6. Let Me Fall

Kai  
"You were very careful to not leave a trail between Kai and Fury... We had a hard time piecing you two together. No pictures of Fury was one thing; knowing that one day the Storm Hawks had a new team mate, and then she suddenly dropped off the face of the Atmos set us off in a different direction." The man fiddled with his pen. "Do you plan on telling us how Fury came to be?"

I closed my eyes. I couldn't remember. I wasn't Fury. I wasn't this vigilante-bounty hunter they were claiming I was... was I? "Jonathon," I spat out instinctively. "That's all I've got. Figure out who he is and you'll have your answers..."

He shook his head. "Jonathon?"

I closed my eyes. "Ace and I had about as much in common as Lora and Starling. How could I rely on him for anything?"

"How could you rely on Lora for anything?"

I smiled. "I couldn't..."

ooo

"Let me off at the front door. No sneaking in through the back for me today."

Ace laughed nervously. "Do you expect me to come inside with you?"

"Hell no! Lora would kill you!"

Ace sighed. "You still don't realize that wouldn't hesitate just because she's a woman..."

"S'not like it matters anyway. She wouldn't let me in with you even if the bunker was burning down." I jumped off the bike, balancing on the stone edge as he flew along the curve.

Ace smiled, questioning just exactly why he stuck around. "Why were you on the Condor?"

"Needed to get my Aurora Stone back from Storm Boy..."

Ace froze, gripping the handlebars. "That news reel was all bullshit, Fury. They never got the Stone back from Cyclonis. Don't you think I would've said something?"

"...No?" I smiled innocently.

"God, sometimes you can be such an idiot. If they invaded Cyclonia for the Aurora Stone, don't you think it would've been a longer fight? I doubt they would've been let off with so little injuries...," he bragged, raising a brow slyly.

I shook my head. "I knew the bastard couldn't have pulled it off."

Ace shifted on the bike. "I can't be your chauffer for a while. I've got an investigation on Glochenchime the Storm Hawks would die to get their noses into. Keep your ass out of trouble while I'm gone." Ace flew off without another word, leaving me no room to plead with him. I sighed. I'd been relying on Ace too much. The man had his own job for God's sake, and for all I knew I was compromising the trust between puppet and master.

I shot up the stairs, leaping up two steps at a time all the way to the top. I raced down the hallway, gripping our door handle as I ground to a screeching halt. I put on a brave face, swung open the door, and smiled brightly. My face fell to shock and awe at the sight before me. "Oh, God..." I slammed the door, kicked off my shoes, and took a seat on my bed before addressing the two before me. "What did I do now?"

Aerrow crossed his arms, turning toward Lora.

"What were you doing on the Condor?"

I laughed. "You can't stop me from doing what I want to do. You're not my dad. And you're not my mom."

"I am your comrade!" Lora protested. "And he keeps covering for you! For... everything you do! Regardless of your neutrality, we are still protecting you."

"...I'm not a child anymore." I was beginning to feel a little insulted. My own mistake aside, they had no right to treat me like that. "You can't stop me. I'm not above the law, I won't deny that, but do you _really_ think you can stop me?"

Aerrow sighed. "Tell me what you were doing on the Condor."

_Think quick..._ "You bastards are taking credit for the Aurora Stone! Don't you think I deserve a little better?"

"So you think sabotaging our ship was a good plan for revenge...?"

I opened my mouth to speak, quickly realizing my flaw. I'd abandoned all purpose for being on the ship the instant I'd slept with Finn. "I went looking for the Stone. You airheads can't come up with a hiding place to save your life." I bit my lip, pulling my hands against my knees. I needed to catch him in the lie, but how? "You never stole the stone... did you?"

Aerrow smiled.

"Kai, that's beside the point. You're not allowed near the Condor for a good reason."

"Why's that?"

Aerrow answered first. "I don't want the council thinking an ex-Storm Hawk has gone rogue."

"I don't want them piecing Kai and Fury together. Do you know how hard it would be to cover up for you if they found out?" Lora had a good point. "We're risking enough having you and Aerrow work together over the Aurora Stone. The closer you and the Storm Hawks get, the more at risk we are."

"Listen, Kai. I know you aren't too thrilled about working with me..." Aerrow almost scoffed. "But neither of us have a choice. Your neutrality keeps both sides safe-we can trust you'll look at keeping the Atmos safe rather than standing biased because of your morals."

I smiled. They'd gone back to flattery; they had my attention.

"We need your help retrieving the Stone. There's no way around that. You have a foot in the door with Cyclonis, and a friend in two talons. I don't want you compromising the mission, nor do I want you to lose your alliance with Cyclonia..."

I looked at him sideways. "Are you protecting a contact of mine because you want me to have that option, or because you want to take advantage of that option in the future?"

Aerrow turned toward the door. "Think about it Kai. We need your help. You're in no way obligated." With that, he left.

Silence hung in the air as Lora waited for Aerrow to distance himself from the bunker. Suddenly, she grew very angry. "YOU SLEPT WITH FINN?"

My jaw dropped. "Did Aerrow tell you? Does he know?"

Lora shook her head, her jaw locked in absolute rage. "How could you even think to do that? You're already compromising the team! Do you know what you've done to Finn? He thinks you actually like him now!" Lora turned around, unsure of how to handle her newfound rage.

I crawled off my bed, looking toward her for a bit of sympathy. "If it makes you feel any better, it was a bit traumatizing for me as well…"

"No, Kai. It really doesn't." Lora bent a stiff arm down to pick up an old camera, examining it carefully. "You don't ever seem to understand that each of your actions have consequences. Not sometimes but _always_. Aerrow and I have been cleaning up after you since day one. You think none of it will ever come back to you but you're _wrong_! We may hide your dirty fingerprints, but one day they'll find you, and you'll reap every last seed you've sewn."

"Lora, look, I—!"

"No, you look. I don't understand how, at this age, you're still such an ungrateful child. Aerrow gave you nothing but love when no one else would even think to touch you. He gave you a roof, a room, hot foot—edible or otherwise—and a job. All you did was assume none of it was ever your fault. You blamed everyone else and told them to _fuck off_!" She threw her arms down, spinning towards me. "How can you not see the pain you caused everyone? You've heard all this a million different times and ways, and yet you still gather enjoyment out of seeing that poor boy cry.

"Kai, Aerrow would crawl on his hands and knees through _The Wastelands_ if it meant getting you home alive. Even if you never spoke to him again, the fact that there _could _be a chance of you loving him back is enough for him to try." She paused a moment, reading my face.

"And, of course, you still don't see it! God, Kai, how can you be such a bloody idiot? Think of Aerrow like a dog. When you first got the damned puppy, you were spending all your time with it—feeding it, loving it, grooming it—then, one day, you decided, "Hey, my dog looks a little lonely. Maybe I'll get it a friend." So you get another dog, but what you don't realize is you've began spending your time paying one hundred percent of your time on the new puppy, and your old mate is growing jealous and scared, desperately doing any old tricks you've taught it in order to vie for you attention up against the new blood in the house. If it came down to it, the old mutt would go for blows for you.

"If it meant saving your life, he wouldn't hesitate. If it meant gasping for your attention like an air-starved mongrel, he would do anything to at least get you to look over."

I stood there, frozen with her words. Whether I was trying to take it all in and feeling remorseful—one emotion I just couldn't comprehend—or I was stunned and had absolutely no idea what she was saying, I couldn't quite make out. But if I didn't say something quickly, Lora would continue on relentlessly assuming I was entirely stupid.

The second I opened my mouth, Lora shook her head, turning around. "There's absolutely nothing I can do to ever get through to you. Aerrow and I are going to die cleaning up after you because we were _nice _enough to choose to do so the day you got in over your head. And you know what? We will _never_ hear one thank you, or see any sort of gratitude. But that's okay, because we never deserved any of it, right?" Lora laughed at her so-called _pathetic_ attempts to reach my softer side. "How could I have been so stupid?" In one swift motion, Lora threw her camera across the room. It shattered beyond repair as it hit the bunker door.

"One day, when you're older, you will see how stupid your childish attitude was, and once you see the incredible people you've lost, you'll come crawling back. And we will have nothing but deaf ears for your _pathetic_ cries." Lora sniffed in. "I hope you're happy with the life you've created. You'll be living in it for quite some time."

That's when I smiled. "You're a sucker for infamous last lines… aren't you?"

"Don't you dare think you can muddle out of this with a _fucking_ joke!"

"Joke…? You think me sticking around here is a joke?" I laughed. "I'll tell you a joke: me having ever thought you were worth my fucking time. I don't care how many of my secrets you keep locked away, nor do I care about how many of those would _ruin_ me had they entered the general public. You know why? Because I know you—as cold-hearted as you are, you would _never_ have the gall to do it. Unlike me, your conscience would get the best of you—your petty emotions would stick fast and get in the way of any battle situation.

"You wanna know why I'm in such a high position, and you're stuck as a lowly bounty hunter with no title and no place to go? That's because I'm_ good_ at what I do. I won't hesitate to kill an insignificant _billionaire_ simply because he's a child, or because his bright blue eyes melted my hard exterior. I wouldn't hesitate to look him in the eyes and force him to watch as I cut off every appendage slowly and mercilessly. I. Wouldn't. Hesitate." I chucked my satchel onto the bed. "Emotions are _shit_. It's the reason I am who I am, and you are _stuck_ in this pathetic bunker going _nowhere_ for the rest of your _pitiful_ life."

Lora spoke up in a mousy tone, trying desperately not to let her voice break as the tears hit the metal floor, "I'm done…"

"Yeah? You know what's so funny about that? Me too. I'm done listening to your shit. Go ahead, let me clean up my own messes. But unlike you, I have Aerrow crawling on the ground before me—it wouldn't take more than a snap of my fingers or a wave of my hand to get him to do my bidding. I don't need you, and I don't need your shit."

Lora turned towards the window, slowly swinging it open. The loud roar of the SwitchBlades and sky rides below quickly filled our room. "I don't need any of this shit," she spoke quietly below the roar. "You can have this damned place… You can have everything in this damned place. Too many goddamned memories. I'm _over_ this."

"Fine!" I shouted at her. Quickly, I became numb to the entire situation. Nothing she said mattered, and nothing I said would cause guilt. Without thinking, I ripped off my necklace, forcing the inhabitant _out_. "You know what you can have?"

Torch's face dropped, his eyes growing wide. "K-Kai, w-what are you… what are you doing?"

"You can take your precious little _Torch_, and your memory-filled, emotion-driven lifestyle, and _shove_ it up your ass!" I charged toward Lora and the window.

Frightened and on-guard, Lora spun around, her hands keeping her steady against the windowsill.

In anticipation, my hand reached outward, gripping the contraption she called armor. My entire body lit up. Voices of ancients filled my ears, their tones emotionless and unrelenting. Wind filled the room and the volume in my head grew louder with each passing second. I could see the fear in her eyes skyrocket, fearing for both her life and Torch's. I could feel all of the burning questions escape her thoughts as I began draining what little energy the exhausted Sky Knight exuded. "I hope to see you burning in hell…!" I shouted at her, voices of ancients mixed with my own. In one swift motion, I shoved Torch through her chest, my markings transferring onto her own skin.

With a quick cry of pain, she gasped, her air supply quickly cut off.

Having done all I'd wanted, having _been_ done with Lora, I pushed my hand against her chest, sending her flying out of the window. "Good… riddance…," I muttered as my body returned to normal. And, as if nothing happened, I sat down on the floor, flipping on the news reel projector to enjoy a bit of calmness to wind down from such a traumatizing event.

"Hm."

ooo

_Lora_

My eyes grew wide as my lungs no longer accepted the flow of oxygen my body desperately required. I was freefalling through endless clouds. The burning sensation in my chest felt like someone took a shotgun to it—it incapacitated me. Even if I _could've_ gotten my hands on a ride, how would I have managed to pilot it? Had I stood with my own two feet on the ground, could I even have managed to do just that?

Voices filled my head, speaking in a dialect I was not familiar with. The glow from Kai's power—her markings—didn't cease to glow. I flew motionless through the air—unable to breathe, unable to call out for help, unable do anything worthwhile. I wanted to cry, but no tears came. All I could do was close my eyes and do nothing—like a pathetic child.

I felt useless… I felt like I deserved to have my life ended this way.

Unable to help my situation, but unwilling to give up, I forced my eyes to stay open, even as my vision blacked out. Sounds around me grew distant and numb as the voices took over. It all felt surreal. I couldn't feel the thundering wind as it whipped my hair about, nor could I feel it begin to burn my skin as it had many flights before. I felt as if I were in a grey zone—trapped in limbo as they decided my fate. Was this going to be how my life ended? Floating helplessly through endless clouds because an ungrateful_ child_ deemed this a fitting end?

In an almost desperate last attempt to save my life, I screamed out, "Stop… D-don't let me die…," but my words were caught in my throat, spoken no louder than a whisper in my own thoughts. "I don't deserve this… Let me go… Let me go…!"

Suddenly, I felt as if a vacuum had sucked me back into reality—sounds and feelings quickly became apparent. I could move my body, I could blink, breathe, speak, scream, flail… That's when I turned over and took a proper dive through the sky. However, the wind beneath me had other plans. Unable to keep my limbs tucked by my sides, my body began to spiral before flipping me onto my back once more. Scared, and feeling like I was falling faster than ever, my body involuntarily forced a scream out of my lungs. No matter how painful it was, it's all my body let me do; my chest burned as if each organic fiber was smoldering in a supernatural flame.

And as if I were standing on the ground, as if the roaring wind was not whipping at my ears, a voice spoke to me clearly and calmly. "Look who's here…"

My eyes quickly darted around the sky above me. A pilot that hadn't been there only moments before was now flying directly downward in an attempt to catch me. Suddenly, my body no longer wanted to scream, but my heart wanted to call out to the pilot, begging him not to let me die.

"Are you a coward, Lora…?" the voice asked.

That's when it hit me. Had I stopped panicking, maybe I could aid this guy in catching me as I fell. He took his ride into a nosedive to match my speeds, and I steadied myself, doing anything I could—calmly—to slow my fall. And slowly but surely, the pilot caught up to me.

"What the hell are you doing?" the boy asked.

Without a second thought, I smiled, my eyes half open through the burning pain in my chest. "Dying…"

"Slow yourself down as much as you can!" he shouted at me. "Grab my hand!" His fear grew as we delved deeper through the clouds. How much longer did we have until we hit The Wastelands? We were too close to Cyclonia to worry about hitting trees on the way down, sadly.

My eyelids grew heavy, threatening to let me rest in such a dire time of need. My body was exhausted—all it wanted was to let me sleep and never wake up, but I was determined to live.

"Grab my hand!" he repeated.

In a desperate attempt, I mustered up what little strength I had left and forced my hand through the piercing winds, latching it onto his wrist, and his onto mine.

With all the strength he had, he pulled me closer, no matter how hard the winds tried to separate us. The closer I got, the more I felt magnetized to him. My body curled around him on the seat of his ride, collapsing with a sense of security. No matter how safe I felt—no matter how much I thought, "I'm on a sky ride… I'm safe… I'll just fly home…," I was nowhere near safe. Assuming the bastard that saved me wasn't just a ballsy sod flying after a damsel in distress, he also had to be a good enough pilot to pull his ride out of a direct nosedive.

Sadly, my body wasn't at all interested in the aftermath—it didn't care how or if I was even going to be pulled out of danger. All it cared about was the person I was holding onto—his warmth, and the security the touch of his skin gave me, knowing someone—at the very least—had come to save me. So I closed my eyes, putting all of my trust into him. How I managed to stay attached to him, I will never know, but quickly, my body let go, sending me into a deep sleep.

I was safe in his arms, even if it meant dying alongside the brave soul. I was happy knowing someone was willing to risk their life for me—finally, someone actually cared enough about the _help._ Someone cared about me, an insignificant soul. It wouldn't matter to neither the Atmos nor Cyclonia if I died… But he was willing to risk it all to save me, and that was enough to let me live or die at peace, and not care.


	7. Recovery

_Kai_

I closed my eyes. Had I really sent Lora flying out of a window? Talon or not, Lora was my friend…

The man flipped through the files in my folder, trying to pin me for something else. "After she left the bunker, she, evidently, found somewhere else to live in a brighter spotlight. Care to explain?"

I looked away. "Lora has always lived on Cyclonia."

He shook his head. "Lora was _not_ always a Talon."

"Yes she was!"

"You're delusional!" he sighed. "Listen, Kai, all I want to know is what happened to Lora after the fall."

"I… I don't even remember… pushing her…"

"Think."

_Lora_

My eyes opened wide in shock and in fear. If I was safe, who saved me? The room around me reeked of pet dander and paint fumes. My first thought was, exactly who thought it was safe to put someone who's recovering in a room full of paint fumes?

Eyes peered over me, picking through my hair. I reached up, spitting fur out of my mouth. Picking a strand or two off my tongue, I found it to be blue. "R-Radarr?" I strained, unable to find my voice.

The little guy popped up with a little gurgle, smiling at me. Suddenly, he ran off, and after his exit came Aerrow's entrance, followed by Radarr's return.

I sighed.

"That was some fall you took. You're lucky I took my time leaving or I might've never seen you. How are you?" he asked, sitting on the cot beside my legs.

I struggled to breathe. "Can't… breathe."

He smiled, laughing quietly. "I can imagine. Do you remember what happened?" Aerrow reached forward, attempting to pull the collar of my shirt well past my chest. My hand flew to his wrist, my weak eyes giving him a burning glare. "Well, at least we know you still have a fighting chance… Calm down, I'm trying to look at the damage. Had I been interested in your body, I would've done what I could while you were unconscious."

At least that were true. "O…kay…"

Aerrow's eyes traced my skin, finding rather odd scars starting directly below my collar bone. His expression had me concerned. "Who pushed you out of the room?"

"I…"

"Don't say you fell," he demanded.

I closed my eyes, swallowing with a dry throat. "Kai," I gasped.

Aerrow released my shirt, fixing it back into place. "I didn't want to be right. What did she do?"

I opened my eyes, flicking them around the room in an attempt to recover my vision. "I… I was…"

Aerrow sighed. "It'll have to wait for later, I suppose. Listen, Lora. You're all right but you're pretty weak. You know Kai's markings? They've transferred to your own skin, but its localized in a circular shape on your chest."

"She… pushed me… there…"

He nodded. "I assumed as much. Did she transfer any of her power to you?"

I closed my eyes, arching my head and neck to stretch out the pain. "It burned pretty bad… I… know from experience with seeing her… f-fight… Kai's markings transfer, if… only temporarily, to whoever she touches… She must've used something against me in the p-process of destroying T-Torch…"

"Destroying Torch?" Aerrow asked, surprised. "How the hell did you guys get into that big of a fight in the time it took me to walk down to my bike?"

I smiled, arching my neck once more. "I became her mother…"

He looked away. "Understandable. On both ends. But that doesn't mean what she did was acceptable. When you are all patched up and feeling better, we'll go back and straighten her out.

I swallowed once more, shaking my head. "I-It's not worth it… I told her… she could have the place."

"…Where are you going to live?" he asked, concerned.

With a half-grin, I inquired, "Is the offer s-still on the table?"

ooo

I was on my feet by the next morning, although breathing was still painful. Piper played doctor and checked for remnants of crystal energy the second I was up and walking around. With my hand on the fridge door and a bag of food hanging from my teeth, she pulled me by the wrist away from my first meal in 48 hours. Disappointed, yes, but tests were more important.

Piper sighed, setting down her tools. Shutting off a machine beside her, she turned to face me. "Kai was able to transfer a very strong energy source to you, but you would never have the ability to control it."

"Will it kill me?" I asked, lightly tapping my heels against the cabinets of her lab desk.

"It shouldn't," she reassured me. "However, I can't figure out what it's connected to. It's non-corruptive, so it won't slowly eat at her innards…"

Finn laughed.

"You should live normally with it in your system, to say the least."

"Can you remove it?"

"I'd have to say the same thing I told Kai years ago—no. I cannot cure you. I'm not a doctor—it's not a disease—and although I'm a crystal specialist, this is beyond any sort of technology we have. How a form of crystal energy could ever inhabit a human being is beyond impossible and a cure… improbable but likely possible had there been more cases and more research teams. With Kai being the only one able to control it, and you being a secondary case… you two are the only ones I—or anyone else for that matter—have ever heard of."

I looked at my lap, tapping my fingers against the brushed metal. "So I'm stuck with these scars."

"Kai's markings manifested themselves as something similar to ink in the skin, not unlike a tattoo. You, however, pulled out the short end of the stick. Your skin became translucent where her markings were left, and they do have a constant ripple of energy glowing beneath them. There's nothing you can do about this."

That was the last day I ever wore a low-cut shirt.

"Thanks, Piper," I said with a smile, pushing myself off of her desk. "One thing I have to ask, though. Do you think Kai's attempt to destroy Torch might have anything to do with this?"

She smiled. "It could have everything to do with this."

ooo

Although I was stuck on the Condor for a week, it was a productive time of solace that got me thinking. What would happen if, for once, I followed through after telling Kai she was on her own? Kai could handle herself, even if she were to leak the connection between Kai and Fury to the public. What difference would it make anyway? Maybe she'd have a few more people out for her head, but how many of those people consider her an ally? Just because she was once a Storm Hawk shouldn't ruin her—it should empower her. How many people have left the Storm Hawks and grew stronger? Two… and she's one of them.

The only damage it would do is put the Storm Hawks name back into question. "What is so horrible about the Storm Hawks that makes co-pilots want to leave?" would be the worst question, I suppose. The damage to their name would be minimal, and wouldn't have many lasting effects so long as Kai didn't ruin the squadron from the inside, out.

Aerrow gave me time to think over my acceptance of their offer, telling me thinking rash after a brush with death wasn't such a good idea. However, if I were still open to it after I was fully recovered, he would let me accept his offer to stay with the Storm Hawks. "As always," he told me, "anyone who stays on the Condor has to help out with daily duties…"

"Which means I'm a part of the team, I understand," I replied.

I was used to working alone, so being on a team would definitely be a difficult adjustment. I wouldn't be so wrapped up with Kai and her constant screw-ups, so the level of stress would be way lower. What if I was a nicer person without her? Lord knows I was after leaving Starling… but how long did that last? I wasn't a proud ball of anger—in fact, I wished I could control it, or at least put it to use like Kai. Unlike her, though… I wouldn't be so naïve and careless.

I'd been a Storm Hawk before, so I—at least partially—remembered what the daily duties of a carrier ship squadron were. Being a part of a loner's squadron didn't count—she did recon and infiltration, but she was always demanding I stay behind. Not because it was too dangerous, not because I wasn't smart enough. The dumb bitch was worried I would get hurt or die off if things went wrong. I wasn't sure if I wanted to accept the compliment, but my mind automatically said, "Insult." I wasn't sure what happened to the rest of her squadron to put her in such a bent state, but if they're gone because she didn't want them to die, I don't blame them.

I looked around the room, wondering why on Atmos they ever thought purple was Starling's color. I sat up, taking in a deep breath. My chest pain was letting up, so it was officially time to call an end to my recovery. I stood up and went on a search for Aerrow.

"Are you sure, Lora?" he asked.

"You promised if I still hadn't let it go…"

He sighed. "I know, but I don't want you to make a mistake. I want you to be one hundred-percent certain."

I smiled. "The only thing you'll have to worry about with me is explosions… Don't set me off and we'll be fine."

"Deal," he laughed, holding out his hand.

I took it in agreement, officially calling the damned purple room _mine._

"Welcome to the team, Lora. I'm happy to finally be able to say that…"

I lifted my armor off the wall next to him, picking at the blank disk in the breastplate. "I gotta ask though… I know Stork was the one to restore the Condor. Did he ever find something about this size in the Wastelands?"

"Ask him yourself," he said with a grin.

And so I did. I met Stork at the helm, poking at the controls. My armor felt odd, having not worn it for quite some time. The muscles in my chest were only just getting back to work, so holding up the piece of metal took a bit of effort.

I shoved the blank metal disk his way. "Eleven years ago, when the Condor went down, I threw a disk about this size in Ace's direction…"

"You mean when you shattered his arm…"

I blinked. "I've never told anyone that story."

Stork rolled his eyes. "It's not hard to put two and two together. Dark Ace was your bitch… he did a number on your heart. Either way, the relationship was doomed from the start. With his violent tendencies, the takeover should've been expected. With _your_ violent tendencies… retaliation wasn't unlikely. Knowing the brace he wears and how accustomed he is to wearing it, I'm not surprised you were the one to deal the damage."

I stood there, a bit stunned.

"Yeah, I found something like that. It was a little warped, but I kept it. It was sharp enough to kill someone if they were determined enough." Stork paused, laughing quietly at a silent musing. "You found my crawlspace," he accused. "I will never forgive you for showing Kai."

I nodded. "I don't expect you to."

"What makes you think you deserve to wear the Storm Hawk insignia?"

"Ask Aerrow… he seems to think very highly of me."

"I was asking _you_…"

And so I explained the situation to him. I told him what Kai had done and the resent I held toward her. I knew she was allied with Cyclonia more frequently than she let on. In fact, she was working for Cyclonis more often than not. Who else had more jobs than the head puppet master of Cyclonia? The Raptors? What exactly were those reptiles doing, anyway? Sun-bathing? Right… Cyclonis was busy, and Ace wasn't free enough for her liking. Kai had fallen to Ace's level, and it didn't surprise any of us.

I told Stork I would do anything to stop Kai from making Cyclonia any more powerful, and putting my life on the line for the team was enough for him.

He flicked a switch on his wheel and stepped over to the wall, pressing a button. A spare weaponry closet was revealed as a section of the wall peeled away. An old skimmer sat dormant behind the door, bolts for Finn's crossbow, Piper's crystal staff, and just about any other spare parts were found there. Stork delved beyond the surface, peeling off a disk from the wall. Flipping it over, he revealed burn marks, black suit covering the warped parts of the metal. Even still, bright blue paint shown through the mess, displaying an old-yet-proud Storm Hawk insignia.

As I reached to take it from him, Stork pulled it back. "I know you better than you think I do, Lora." This was the first time I'd ever heard Stork become serious, rather than knowing due to paranoia. "You have to promise not to pull an Ace move on us."

I watched him silently for a moment.

"It's a lot when I tell someone I trust them, and I'm entrusting this insignia to you. I'm trading this trust for your life, do you understand?"

"I, um…"

"I will come after you if you ruin this team. "

I gently took the disk from his green hands, watching him a moment more before turning to leave. "What crawled up your ass and died…?"


	8. Break

_Just finished rereading the Academy chapters, Lynn, and Neon Games. I missed writing the Neon Games chapter. That one was really fun. Planned out the rest of outlaws, too. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the two plot twists I have in store._

Kai

"You were pretty close with the Dark Ace, weren't you?"

I looked away. "I don't know who you're taking about."

"The man in the picture!" He shoved the photo he'd shown me only minutes before in my face. "The…."

"The guy I told you I'd never seen…"

He shook his head. "Your bunkmate is… Listen Kai, I understand that you have some sort of temporary memory fault, but could you at least try and throw me some sort of bone here?"

I shrugged my shoulders, my back literally starting to burn, unable to stretch out with the bonds. "I don't have anything to give you! I've told you literally everything I know…"

"All right." He flipped through another section in my surprisingly small folder (at least, for what I had supposedly done). "Aside from someone so mixed up in Atmos not knowing who Sky Knights' largest enemy is…"

_Lora_

"How did I know this was going to happen?"

"Shh, Stork, give it a minute."

He rolled his eyes, turning to face the helm window.

"I understand wanting to run back to Kai," Finn joked.

"Oh, shut your trap, you blond bastard."

Aerrow smiled. "She's not worth it."

I nodded, grinning brightly although obviously forced. "Uh–huh! And she… and she—!"

"Why don't you try to think of an excuse _not_ to go back, instead of finding every excuse to run scared?"

I let out a short breath. "Aerrow, you don't understand."

"I do. She was the only one that accepted your temper and dealt with it accordingly. I don't care what she did to make you feel at home… You're with people who _genuinely_ care about you, not just a ranga pretending to give two shits because you feed her."

Junko agreed. "I know you just need a hug!" With tears in his eyes, the big lug stomped over to me and suffocated me with his arms.

"….O-okay… okay! J-Junko!" I strained. "Y-you can let go now…!"

Aerrow shook his head, the blond sharp-shooter quickly standing by his side. "Not until you agree to stay and never go running back."

"Junko, my chest."

"No, I'm not falling for that again!"

With a bit of slack, though still trapped behind his infallible grasp, I sighed. "Aerrow, you know better than anyone that we can't avoid Kai forever. I'm going back because I know we need to recover the Stone and if I don't apologize to Kai, what chance do you think we have of her helping us?"

Aerrow began to speak, but quickly bit back his words.

"I never said I was moving back… but don't you think a lack of cooperation could be our downfall?"

Aerrow backed down.

"I'm sure I could get her to agree to anything…," Finn chuckled. Aerrow cleared his throat to remind the boy.

"It's not the time to make jokes, Finn," Piper frowned.

Junko set me down as Aerrow resumed his argument. "We need Kai. There's absolutely no way around that." He walked forward toward the parked bikes. "I don't want you stepping foot near that bunker." We stood there watching as he left. Although we knew where he was going, we could only pray it wasn't sparked by stupidity.

_Kai_

The bunker looked so empty now that Lora was gone. My thoughts were so quiet now that I was rid of Torch…

"I like it better this way."

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Shut up, Ben, I'm trying to enjoy the silence."

"What do you say we push Lora's bed against yours and give me a proper sleeping place?"

I laughed. "You're joking right?" With a moment of silence, I laughed again. "For you, yeah. For me? You'd take over the bed."

With a half-hearted smile, Ben stood up, kissing my cheek. "I'm going to go get a drink."

I sat on Lora's bed alone, looking at her things. I'd strewn them across the room in anger. I was mad that she'd left it there. I was angry because… I… "How could she leave me here?" I buried my face in my hands, telling myself that I wasn't crying.

Convincing myself that the truth wasn't happening grew harder as the tears ran down my arms.

Ben returned, explaining through nervous laughter that he'd forgotten his keys, but his words were lost in shock. Without a second thought, the boy sat next to me, an arm around my shoulders. He gently nudged me, urging me to lay down. As my head hit the pillow, I felt his hands lift my legs onto the sheets and untie my boots. He pulled the window shut and kept the light out, turning off anything I'd left on within the room. As I opened my eyes, I watched through the tears as he removed his hat and jacket.

For a second, I was silent; I was able to stop the tears. But the moment he laid down and held me in his arms, my restraints could no longer hold back the flood. I nearly suffocated myself trying to find refuge in his chest. My hand gripped his shirt. And as pitiful as it was, that was how I fell asleep.

Ben kissed the top of my head, pulling stray hairs off my skin and out from under me. "I love you, Kai…," he whispered as I'd quieted down.

I wiped my face onto his shirt, resting my nose on one of the buttons. His words seemed natural—they never once caught me off guard.

ooo

Unlike many times before, falling asleep in a loved one's arms, I didn't wake up alone. Covered by a blanket, yes; he refused to break his promise to stay. I rubbed my face against his jawline in an attempt to wake myself up, unsuccessfully. Ben squeezed me tightly, rocking me slightly for a moment. "Go back to sleep," he asked quietly.

My eyes darted around his arm in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the clock. "Ben, do you know how long we've been asleep?"

He nodded, humming happily with a smile. "I don't need a drink _that_ badly."

"Ben, it's been fourteen hours. I've had my little bitch fit; I think it's time to get up now." I tried fitfully to crawl away from him, but Ben only held me tighter.

"Don't ruin it for me."

"Don't be a bitch!" I threatened to knee him in the crotch, so Ben was quick to release me. As the blanket fell when I stood up, watching him. "Where's your shirt?"

He laughed. "Don't ask how the blanket got out from under you either, just go straight to the shirt…"

I shook my head. "Ben… If we stay here I know what will happen. I'm not willing to let this get awkward. So either you go out and get a drink, or find me a ride."

He laughed, standing up. "No problem. You sure you don't want to come with me?"

"As good as a glass of straight Vodka sounds, I think I'm good."

"All right." He put himself back together, opened the curtains and the window, and pulled the brim of his hat toward his brow on his way out the door. With a smile, he readjusted the collar of his jacket in his hands. As it hung there—as he stood there watching me, I wondered what he was thinking; less in a sympathetic manner and more in a "he's about to do something stupid" way.

And I was right. Ben stepped towards me with a dumb smile. His keys jingled with each step. Standing just inches from me, leaning down to kiss my cheek, a quiet laugh rumbled in his throat.

I actually had to keep myself from pushing him away—and, boy, you will never understand how much willpower that takes. I pushed my lips together and smashed them down with my teeth in an attempt to keep quiet. Through all that, I managed a smile.

Typically in the movies, there is this magnetic pull between the two love interests where they both feel compelled to suddenly start… well, frankly, making out. I've never liked those scenes, but I was about to be pulled into one.

Ben leaned forward, and although he seemed compelled, I was not. At first, maybe. But I could feel the emotion behind his every move—the love, the compassion, the genuine sincerity. Even though Cyclonian-born, you'd swear he was human. I was sucked into his ploy, and I could feel my heart falling for him.

Through it all, my mind was still screaming _NO!_

Once I was alone in the bunker, my heart plastered a smile on my face. I spun on my heels to find something productive to do with the rest of my day. I quickly regretted waking up at all.

I found a red-headed boy staring back at me through the window. "Come with me." As I walked toward the window, barefoot and disheveled, his smile stood undefeated. For someone who hated me so much, it seemed so easy for him to act like nothing had _ever_ happened.

I could always tell when he was being sincere, and that coupled with the fact that the buy was harmless… I climbed out the window and sat behind him on the bike.

Before decidedly flying off, Aerrow stated dryly, "You and Ben seem close."

ooo

For the first time, I wasn't suspicious of his intentions. I should've been.

"I know this place isn't much, but I thought you'd enjoy the pool." Noting the sunset, I doubted his motive for bringing me to a _pool_.

"I wish you would've let me put my shoes on." With a raise of his brow, I sighed. "Or at least reminded me to put them on."

"Forgetful around me, are you? Is there something I should know?"

I laughed. "You obviously saw what Ben did."

"What you and Ben did."

I rolled my eyes. "So I'm _obviously_ not hiding any left-over feelings for you."

He held up a finger and a victorious smile crawled across his face. "I also that I wasn't the only one involved in our little scene down at the diner…"

I looked at the pool beside him. He wasn't an entire dolt—I may have hated those magnetic scenes in movies, but I was definitely a _magnet_ for them. Although estranged, Aerrow and I still… I still held that spark for him. There was something about Aerrow that angered me to the point that I would _never_ think twice over killing him. Residual feelings and memories kept me from ever trying.

Aerrow smiled. "Hop in."

It only took me a moment to remember that clothes aren't recommended for swimming. "I'm good."

"Last time we went swimming…"

I shook my head. "Don't even finish that sentence." For a moment, I reconsidered coming with him, but in the next I threw away my reservations. We were adults now. Was it so bad for him to see me without my shirt on? For God's sake—I didn't care when I was 15, and I sure wasn't going to care now.

I tossed my shirt on the chair beside me, hopping around to pull off my socks. Aerrow already had this whole thing planned out—his choice of board shorts explained that quite clearly now.

"Did you steal those from Finn?"

"Oh, ha-ha. Don't make fun of my style, girl!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, they're Finn's." With a smile, he gestured towards the water. "After you."

"Ladies first!" I laughed.

"Very funny."

I walked toward the edge, dangling my legs into the water. "So what's all this about, Storm Boy?"

Sitting a comfortable distance away from me, he did the same. "I'm just checking up on you. Lora was… a bit worried."

I raised a brow.

"We all were." He shook his head. "You did a number on her, Lora."

"She's not coming back."

He sighed.

"That wasn't a question, Aerrow. I did what I did for a reason. I would be happy if I never had to see her ugly-ass face again."

With a concerned shrug, he looked out on the water.

"I'll be fine on my own. I don't need your guys' help anymore."

"Do you really think you can handle doing everything we've done on your own?" In a moment of contemplation, he continued, "Do you really think Lora can stand ignoring you for the rest of her life?"

I looked at my feet in the water. "I'll be fine. I have Ben, now."

"Who says Ben'll be around forever?" With a shocking pause, Aerrow realized something. As if he'd stolen the words right out of my mouth, Aerrow spoke, "Who said you were with Ben?"

My eyes grew wide. "I thought we were going for a swim?"

In an attempt to shrug off the awkward conversation and avoid inexplicable situations, Aerrow slid into the water. "Hm… not that cold." He stepped a bit farther out, turning around.

I slid into the water, wincing as I discovered he wasn't entirely serious. "Why are we really here, Aer?" He hummed quietly at my question. "I mean, honestly… Do you ever do anything on Lora's behalf… if I'm involved?"

"Never… entirely…"

The sun's rays hit the water, darkening the skies around us. His eyes narrowed as he spun around, looking at me. My hands clutched the edge of the pool as I continued to lower myself, my knees bent with my back hunched over.

As the sun quickly began making its decent, the swim seemed less and less like _just_ a swim. I closed my eyes to take in my thoughts. When I recovered, I realized his arms were around me, how close he was… I could see from my reflection in the water how blight the waves of energy flowed under my skin.

"It's pretty hard to control that… isn't it?" he asked quietly.

"What, my light, or your hormones?"

He chuckled. "It happens when you're nervous… Does it do that when you lie?"

"No…"

He smiled. "Point proven…"

I closed my eyes for another moment, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. I could hear Ben's voice as I thought about what was happening. "_Who said you were with Ben_?" Aerrow said. _He's right…_

The magnetic pull grew stronger. I hadn't realized my arms were already around his neck. I blinked, though it felt like my eyes were never going to open fast enough. As my foot slipped against the wall, I leaned forward, and Aerrow smiled. Catching us both before I knocked him down, he laughed, "I've missed you…"

Uncontrollably, I kissed him, holding him tightly against me. As surprised as he was, he wasn't unwilling.

ooo

A ray of stray sun hit my eyes, forcing me awake. My head began to pound—or continued to; I was too tired to tell. My arm rolled off the bed, my knuckles hitting hardwood flooring. My eyes widened slightly; hardwood meant a high-end house… I shifted against the sheets, realizing something was missing. I clutched my chest, grabbing skin. I was fully awake now.

I was missing more clothes than I remember going to sleep with.

I scratched under my breast and laid back down, my hand hitting the floor again. I remembered what happened. I knew who was lying next to me. And as bad as I felt about what I had done, I didn't entirely regret it. It was nice to finally connect with Aerrow. Now that I could say I've done it, I was over it.

I wanted to go home.

I rolled onto my side, squashing myself against him. "Wake up."

"Mmmhh…."

"Aerrow, I need to go home."

He rolled onto his back, his arm over his face. "I have this place for the weekend. Stay with me…"

At that point, I wanted to cry again. I knew I would be breaking his heart if I went back to how everything was before. I also knew I would be breaking Ben's heart if I stayed. What did I care about more, though? Someone I potentially had a future with, or a past love I had a connection with, but no feelings for?

Across the room, static cracked over my radio. Aerrow rolled over once more, now facing away from me. Deciding he wasn't going to let me leave so easily, hearing what my radio had to say might be my ticket out. I knew I was avoiding the problem, but which wrath was worse—telling him I didn't care, or him finding out later?

I sighed, tip-toeing across the room naked. "You forgot the blanket," Aerrow muttered.

"I'm in a room in a house with no neighbors… It's fine." Leaning over to pick up my radio, I listened closely to the voice. "Yeap," I answered groggily, walking into another room.

"We need you on Glochenchime."

ooo

Back at the bunker, I did everything I could to keep Aerrow on his Skimmer. Successful or not, I rushed back. I sighed, seeing Ben asleep on the bed. Guilt hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing my stature to buckle at the knees. I dropped everything where I stood and rushed to my bed, climbing on top of him. I rolled him onto his back and placed a leg on either side.

He groaned, pulling a pillow over his head. "Giddoff of me…" I shook my head, gently pushing the pillow from his eyes. He watched me with curiosity. I kissed him gently, unable to retreat as he gripped the back of my neck. "Don't tell me you're going soft…"

"As long as you aren't, we won't have a problem."


	9. Join Us

_Kai_

"If it wasn't for the Storm Hawks and their generous cooperation, we might've found you sooner."

"You're saying after all that they still helped me?"

"Somehow, you had a way with Mr. Strike…"

I sighed. If he was telling the truth, why would anyone go such lengths for me? I hated myself with every word he spoke. Every action he described, every mission he spoke of… I wanted to tell him to get it over with, to kill me already. I was awaiting a death sentence, or so he said. A deal—according to what he'd told me—was not in the picture.

He closed his eyes. "How many of them did you sleep with?"

My eyes widened. "Even if I could remember, do you think I would tell you?"

"Right… I need you to remember how you tore the squadron apart…"

"I…" I looked away. "I need you to stop accusing me of things I've never done!"

"Prove you've never done it."

_Lora_

With Aerrow gone, I was more than tempted to check on Kai. With Junko's looming presence, however, I backed away. I loved the big lug, so going against him wouldn't only break his bones, but it would break my heart.

"I need to get off this ship." Junko gave me a stern look. "I just want to go to Tranqua. Look, it's right beneath us. Tranqua takes only minutes to get there. We are half-way across Atmos, nowhere near Kai's bunker… Do you honestly think I would rather fly there?"

"Neon's over there."

I sighed. "I just want to get off the ship. I promised Aerrow I wouldn't set foot near Kai intentionally."

Junko stood unwavering, but suddenly, Finn spoke up. "She's not lyin', dude."

"How do you know?"

"Her chest lights up when she lies."

"Finn!" I gasped. "Stop staring at my chest!"

Finn giggled nervously. "Y-you… nice rack…"

I groaned. "Can I go now before he makes a mess on the floor?"

Junko stuttered, "You mean by drooling, right?"

"In one way or another…"

"FINN!" Piper shouted from across the ship. Remembering Piper's freak sense for knowing when Finn's screwing up, he ran with his tail between his legs.

"I'll be back later, Junko." As his face grew concerned, I smiled, brushing his arm. "I promise." I tugged on the edge of my headgear, keys in-hand. I left the ship quickly and quietly. Tranqua was a common escape—it seemed that I wasn't the only one to think of it. I had found Kai there many times, and if she found its serenity, maybe we weren't the only ones?

Contemplating a swim, I sat on a high-up ledge, looking at the water below. When I was able to sit down and think of it, my mind wandered back to Kai. How was she handling? Has she screwed up…? Is anyone in danger? Yes, I may have been unable to check up on recent news reels, but nothing catastrophic had come through the woodwork while I was recovering.

Even after my recovery, for the weeks after, I was trapped on the ship. Isolating me from anything related to Kai, Aerrow was obviously persistent. But that never stopped me from planning out my apology, planning out just how I would crawl on my knees and beg for forgiveness… give or take a few words. I knew we needed Kai to get the Stone back, and if her cooperation depended on an apology, even if it wasn't my fault, I would kiss the ground that she walked on.

But… as nice as it was to get away from Kai's stress, the alternative had its own problems. The team had severe tension, and whether it was from Kai sleeping with Finn or Aerrow's unreturned advances, the stress levels hit ten when Kai re-entered their lives.

And with stress comes bickering and arguments. I was _always_ caught in the cross-fire. Aerrow took any chance he got to put me under the knife, intentionally or not.

"_Lora, you're not listening to me."_

"_Yes, I am; you said you wanted it like this!"_

"_No, I said I didn't want anyone else to touch it!"_

"_I was doing you a favor."_

"_No, you were screwing around and not listening to me! You are _just _like Kai. You can't surprise me. I hate surprises. Next time you feel like helping me out, don't."_

I closed my eyes. Everything had severe tension. Everything set him off. Even if it wasn't directed at me to begin with, attempting to stop arguments only made my life worse.

"_Dude, this wasn't my fault."_

"_Who else had access to it?"_

"_What's going on here?"_

"_Finn broke my blades."_

"_I did not!"_

"_I'm sure it's a misunderstanding…"_

"_Oh, so you're taking his side?"_

I shook the memories from my head, rubbing my thumb against my necklace. I'd worn this thing for years… I should've taken it off long ago, but I could never really relieve myself of the memories and attachments that came along with it.

This dragonfly had been the only thing left with an attachment to Lightning Strike, or any of them. It was the only attachment with Ace I had left.

"You thinking about me again?"

Startled, I scrambled to catch myself on the ledge, wanting desperately to stay dry. "You bastard!" I screamed, still off balance. With one swift move of his foot, Ace reached out and kept my balance.

"You're not the first girl I've kept from falling off a cliff."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather you didn't."

"You liar."

I sighed, wondering if my necklace was better off ripped from my skin. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd like to say I didn't come here for you, but I'd obviously be lying."

"S'never stopped you before," I laughed angrily, rubbing my nose.

Unmoved by my anger towards him, he sat beside me like nothing was wrong. "Been busy?"

"Yeap… Look, you're not one of my favorite people."

"Not now?"

"Not. Ever."

"Hm." He looked down. "I've been watching you Storm Hawk kiddies. At least, I've kept eyes on you. You guys have been doing a pretty bang-up job. I mean, they were even before you joined, but now… Hah… It's pretty pitiful, if you ask me."

"No one did."

"Pff… My opinion matters… I don't care just how _strong_ your team has become. My point is that you're better off alone. You _work_ better alone."

"You think I don't know that? I may work better alone but I can't _live_ alone."

"Tough shit, girly. I share a cold, metal bunker with me myself and—"

"Your left hand?"

"Very funny." With a slight pause, he sniffed in and resumed, "My left hand only visits on the weekends. Otherwise it's Righty."

"You're disgusting."

He laughed, "Well you started it!"

With a sigh, I stood up. "Can you cut the bullshit, please? You're ruining my day off."

Ace stood up as well, examining me. "Never got a good look at you all grown up…" Suddenly, his hand shot out toward me, pulling down the collar of my shirt. "She hurt you?"

I shoved his arm away. "Yeah. It isn't important."

He shook his head. "You really haven't changed much. I mean, your tits are bigger, but—"

"And neither have you! Would you stop paying attention to my chest long enough to realize I don't want you here?" In a fit of frustration, I stepped forward with my hand on his chest, pushing against him in an attempt to knock him back a bit.

He laughed, unmoved. He held my wrist and pulled me to him. "I'm a better dancer than you."

"You can't dance."

"Figuratively, Lora. Don't be an idiot."

"You can't sing, either."

"Now who's slinging shit?" When he saw my smile, he returned it. "Least you're happy now."

"No, I'm not. One spot-on joke doesn't mean I'm happy. I don't want to be here… Not with you. I'm supposed to be enjoying my time here, and it's not going very well."

"How can I make it better? Blood and gore, homicide?"

"Suicide."

"Ah," he groaned, looking away. As he released my wrist, I stepped back.

I watching him intently. Even in civilian clothing, he refused to remove the brace on his arm. Had I wrecked it that badly? No. I specifically remember his last run in the Velocity race… If his injuries were debilitating enough, he would have to wear it all the time. If he didn't wear it while racing against Aerrow, then it was definitely more of an emotional attachment.

"How's your arm?" I asked.

"You actually sound concerned."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'm going to ask you to take everything off to look at it."

He shrugged, smiling slyly. "Had you wanted to, you wouldn't even need to ask." He stepped closer. "You don't realize how much I've missed you."

I stepped back in unison. "Whoa, there, Sky Knight. Step off. That's great and all, but it's one hundred-percent unreturned."

He laughed. "Don't tell me you don't love me. You left because you were hurt; you don't have unresolved feelings?"

"Ace, I fell in love with someone else. The Ace standing in front of me isn't the same 18 year old, naïve young man I met. You're _much_ older now, granted, but you haven't grown up. You attached yourself to Cyclonia, and that's something I can't get over. Not with what you've done. Not with who you've become. Not now that you're—"

"A monster?" He stepped closer once more. "I've embraced that; why can't you?" Everything he said sounded like a joke. He meant nothing he said, it was all in mere fun.

"I want you like I want a flaming case of swamp sores."

He opened his mouth to speak, but was overcome by laughter. "Those are no fun. Especially if they're on your d—"

"Don't want to hear it."

Another laugh. "All right. Listen, Lora. Think about it—working for Cyclonia is a lot like freelancing. I know you couldn't get into it like Kai had, but look at your references now. Roommate of the infamous Fury, and girlfriend of Cyclonis' right-hand man. Where could you go wrong?"

"When you said 'girlfriend,' you went wrong. I'm not your girlfriend, Ace. I'm not going to come crawling back to you. There is nothing in this world that could make me crawl back to you." As I began to walk away, I could see him slump down playfully with a pout on his face.

"M'aww… Well, can we still have casual sex, at least?"

"Oh, grow up, Ace! Since when have I been sleeping with you?"

He chuckled, "Heh… in my dreams…"

"In my nightmares…" I shuddered at the thought. I felt lucky I never gave myself up to him. Sure, my other choices weren't the best, but attaching myself onto him like that would've never turned out good.

"If it makes you feel any better, I left your sorry ass for a Firebolt crystal."

"Ohhh-hoh… so is that why you're so fond of it?" I spun on my heels, standing not even an inch from him. I reached into his back pocket, ignoring the suggestive hum coming from his chest. "You left me for this crystal?" I asked, removing the crystal from his pocket. He never left anywhere without it.

"Yes'm." Unsure if I was accepting this fact or trying to screw over, he continued to play along.

"This crystal." When he nodded, I continued. "How much do you love it?"

He laughed, throwing his head back. "If it had a hole, I swear I'd—"

Suddenly, the crystal disintegrated in my grasp. I'd gained that from Kai; I was as surprised as he was that I was capable of it. He fell dead silent. "I hope you love it enough to stay true now that it's gone."

"Have you ever known me for my loyalty?"

I smiled. "It's mine now."

Tranqua stood silent for a moment. Even the birds didn't make a sound. Then, he spoke up. "…Kinda hot…"

"Oh, would you give it a rest? I don't love you! I will _never_ love you! I will _never_ join Cyclonia's ranks. You cannot change my mind. I respect Cyclonia as an organization, but I will never respect you because of what you did. I suggest you leave before you end up in the same predicament as your Firebolt."

"Oh, anything to be inside you…"

"What is _wrong _with you?"

"Join Cyclonia, Lora," he said through his laughter. "It won't be the same as being a Sky Knight, but it will be a lot better. I know what you're going through. You saw how they treated me as a Knight, and you know how it feels. Trust me when I tell you it's not like that in Cyclonia."

"No, I believe you. I believe that your tralons are squishy and make funny noises when I hit them." I sighed. "I know how you treat your trainees at the Academy. I am not willing to endure that kind of treatment."

"It's a trial phase… if they can handle that, they can handle anything."

"It's inhumane."

Ace officially ran out of words. "I don't have all the answers, Lora…"

"Finally. Mr. Invincible has fallen to human lengths." I spun around and walked toward my Skimmer. "You can call me when you've dropped your title and become entirely human."

"I'm the Dark Ace, Lora. That will _never _change."

"Then neither will my answer."


	10. He Had It Coming

_Kai_

"Do you remember when Lora left the Storm Hawks?"

"Do you remember me telling you she has always been a Talon?"

Another pitiful sigh from the man. Maybe he knew this was going in absolute circles? "Lora, in your mind has always been a Talon," he echoed. "But before that. There _was_ a before. If you remember the Talon part… Maybe I could shed some light on the Sky Knight part?"

_Lora_

If I wasn't cleaning the ship or fending off Aerrow's arguments, we were out scouting. "Is this all you guys ever do?"

Junko shrugged. "It's all Finn and I get to do."

"Yeah. Aerrow doesn't seem to want anything else from us."

I laughed. "He'd rather spend more time planning out every option with Piper than go scouting himself."

Finn rolled his eyes. "To be honest, Aerrow is afraid he'd get thrown in jail again."

"Right…" I let my arms go, laying on the ground. Rolling over, I looked up at the sky, noting the Rides passing over this terra made a point to going around it, never directly overhead. "Why do you think they do that?"

Junko looked at the sky. "Aerial weaponry… Their detection system searches for crystal energy in the sky."

As if he were holding his crossbow, Finn rolled over as well, pretending to shoot the rides in the sky. I -laughed at his silly noises. "What about their defenses? Do reinforcements get shot down?" I asked quietly

"Jammers…"

"Their rides are _generally_ safe from their own defenses," Finn laughed.

"Generally?" Sitting up, Finn pointed to a recent crash site just beyond our location. "Oh… Explains why you had us land so far away. Why are we here?"

"To make sure they haven't added anything new."

Finn smiled. "Aerrow wanted to do a recovery mission on this terra, but Stork refused to go anywhere near it without a full defense layout."

"Gotcha."

For the better part of two days, we were camped out aside their settlement. Of course, as I had expected, nothing new came from scouting out a useless storage building. Aerrow was highly disappointed.

"I told you to find something!"

"And I told you, nothing's changed. God, Aerrow, what's gotten into you?"

He gritted his teeth before slamming his fist onto the table. "If those defenses aren't taken out, Storm will refuse a takeover."

"Why are you so bent on taking over that place?"

With a sigh, he explained. Every word sounded like I should've known already. "You don't understand. That building is a likely hold for the Stone. If we can't overtake their forces alone, we can never retrieve the Stone."

"Call in reinforcements?"

"Who's going to help out the wannabe squadron?"

"I'm going to be frank," I stated calmly before quickly changing my attitude. "What the hell has gotten into you? You're… you're acting like a child. You refuse to ask for help, you're starting arguments left and right…"

"Hey guys."

With a wide grin, Aerrow became a totally different person. "Kai… Didn't think I'd ever see you back on the ship…"

"Right."

I sighed. It was bound to happen sooner than later, so I accepted her return with a tired grin on my face. "Hey."

Ignoring my greeting, Kai stepped up to Aerrow. "I'm going to be busy for a few days; Cyclonis has something planned for me… Kinda makes me worried, but it's my job."

He laughed. "Any idea where?"

"Nowhere I'm allowed to speak of…"

Aerrow raised a brow. "I know you're neutral and all, but you're my… You're not entirely Cyclonian. Can you help us out at all?"

"I would be breaking trust. I'm over the line enough helping you guys out with anything."

"Yeah, considering how close to a Talon you've become, I'm surprised you're even allowed to speak to anyone but your master."

"Oh, would you shut it? I'm here to help out a friend, not listen to you bitch." She faced Aerrow once more. "I'll be back in less than a week. After that we can get to the Aurora Stone."

"Hey guys," Finn yawned, waking up from his nap.

"Yo," I waved, though I was much more focused on Kai.

"Kai, what are you doing here?"

With a smile, she replied, "Thought I'd come by and say hi to the team."

"You're not exactly a welcome guest…"

She looked away. "I just needed to let Aerrow know the plans are on hold for a bit. They haven't put anything in motion for the Stone, so I'm not too worried as of yet. That's it, though. I should get going…"

"No! No, stay. Just for a little bit. Please?" Finn begged.

With a look of genuine happiness, Aerrow agreed. "I have a few things I'd like to show you, anyway."

Kai smiled, rubbing her arm. "I'm supposed to leave in a few hours…"

"It won't take that long, promise."

Finn sighed. "At least have lunch with us. You were the only one that could make Junko feel proud of his cooking!" I cleared my throat. "O-other than Lora… But she never finished her meals."

"Finn, I don't even know how much real food I can stomach anymore. I mean, I rely on crystals now. The most I've eaten in the past few months was when I stole Lora's fries at the Shanty, and maybe a glass of wine Ben brought home."

"So, Ben's taken over my bed, has he?"

"Not like I could stop him. Whenever you weren't there, he was. Now he just doesn't leave."

I sighed.

"Aerrow!" Piper called, rushing into the room. "Aerrow, Radarr found your shield."

"It's not on my bike?" he asked, concerned.

She shook her head, suddenly growing very angry at the sight of Kai. "What is _she_ doing here?"

Kai's expression grew depressive.

"I… found Radarr outside of Finn's room with it. He said he'd found it inside…" In a moment, Piper held it up. Covered in paint and dents, the shield was hardly recognizable.

"Aerrow, I swear, I had nothing to do with this."

"Oh? Just like you had nothing to do with breaking my blades?"

Angered by both the argument and Kai's presence, she left the room without another word, leaving the shield on the table.

"Okay, so maybe that was my fault, but I didn't do this!" When Aerrow didn't buy it, Finn threw in a joke. "Maybe Radarr got bored and decided to start an art project?"

"Finn, don't start shit. It always ends badly," I warned.

"I don't know, maybe you let Kai in here in the middle of the night. Maybe she decided to sneak into my room and not yours, and now you're mad."

Kai's eyes widened. "Guys, stop. This isn't funny."

"Don't pin this on jealousy. Heh… I don't even know why I'm threatened by you. You have no chance with her… You're stuck with the bitch Piper and Kai's all mine."

Kai jumped into my boat. "Oh, God, they're going to ruin everything."

Finn bit back every word he could, but it still wasn't enough. "I swear she wasn't yours when I fucked her!"

Our jaws hit the floor. The second we saw Aerrow begin to react, so did we. Kai grabbed Finn's arms and I stood between the twerps. Whether or not my comrade in this fight was helping Aerrow hit Finn was pretty much a mystery. Holding Aerrow back was all I could do to not find that out the hard way.

Aerrow was acting so strongly because of his unresolved feelings for Kai… "He's doing this because of what happened between you five years ago?" I asked, struggling to keep the red-head back.

Kai laughed nervously.

Suddenly, Aerrow jolted forward. Kai's skin lit up like Christmas, and the shock from what Aerrow had done sent energy pulses through Finn's muscles, making him defenseless against Aerrow's attacks. I feared for the blond kid's life. Aerrow, with full force, came at Finn and punched him square-on. The boy fell head-first into the ground and was out cold in an instant

I had to react. If I didn't, Kai would be next. I scrambled to get between the two of them. "Aerrow, stop!" I demanded, gripping his shoulders. "Stop, you're going to regret whatever you're going to do. Please, think about what you're doing!"

With a malevolent smile, Aerrow growled, "Well, first I'm going to ask why the _fuck _my _girlfriend_ slept with my best friend and didn't _tell me_! Then, I'm going to rip my strategist's _tits_ off if you don't get the _hell_ _out of my way_!"

Kai cleared her throat. "Whoa, just because we had sex does _not _mean I am your girlfriend…"

Had there been a wall beside me, my head would've been hitting it until my skull cracked open. "Is there _anyone_ you haven't slept with on this ship?" Suddenly, the sound of tires hitting the landing strip grew louder as the roar of engines neared the helm door. In through the door stepped a knight in dark armor—not exactly someone welcome on the ship…

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Please tell me he's the answer to my last question…"

"You got lucky this time, Lora," Kai laughed nervously.

Aerrow had a lapse in judgment. Suddenly, he realized the last piece of the puzzle. "You've been sleeping with _Ben_, too?" Unable to keep him back, and a little less concerned about the damage he would actually do to her, I stepped aside, standing next to the common enemy.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the Cyclonian man, wondering why his visit hasn't caused a bigger stir on the lower levels of the ship.

"Brought Benny boy… he told me you two were here. I need to pick up my bitch."

Another sigh. "I'm not coming with you."

"Who said anything about you? Cyclonis is asking for Kai. Vanity is a good color on you, though; the mark of a true Cyclonian."

Unmoved by the fact that Ace was onboard his ship, Aerrow started directly for Kai. "You… don't care about any of us do you…?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"You… you entered our ship, you made us feel like you actually cared, like there was a slight chance you would actually stick around for something other than your own selfish wants… You _tore_ this team apart! You slept with Finn, probably ruined his relationship with Piper, made _me_ feel like you actually loved me again… I've been attacking my team! I've been so protective over you, anything that even sounded the least bit insulting… Kai, I protected you!

"My team is almost nonexistent because of what you've done in a matter of _months_! You've destroyed years of work, irreplaceable friendships, and tore apart the Storm Hawks!"

"I thought it wasn't possible to tear down the undefeatable Storm Hawks _once_ let alone _twice_…," Ace cleared his throat.

"Lora, please keep a muzzle on your mutt, he was not invited to speak in this conversation."

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.

Kai took a step back before Aerrow started to speak again. "If you think any of us will _ever_ stand by you again… if any of us every work together again…This… _This…_ All of this is _your_ fault. Everything that's gone wrong with this team, everything that's gone wrong with your relationships, your missions, everything you blame on everyone else is _your_ fault. You are stupid, you are naïve, and bloody _retarded_, if I don't say so myself.

"You are everything Lora has called you that I've denied. I was so _blindly_ in love with you that I didn't give _two shits_ about your faults and flaws. I assumed everyone else was just bias. I cared that much about you. I've dealt with your shit long enough without gratitude. And treating me like this is my reward? No." Aerrow closed his eyes. "You can burn in hell for all I care.

"And you?" Aerrow turned around.

_Don't pin any of this on me_, I threatened silently. _You don't know what you're getting yourself into. _Ace could feel the smoldering flame, the war beginning deep down within me. He braced himself for a fight—if I was willing, so was he.

Kai, now out from under Aerrow's thumb, waved to her chauffer. He waved back.

"You think you're so innocent. A ball of fire—_ooh, I'm so sorry, I can't control my anger_… BULLSHIT. You may have cared more about Kai than the rest of my team, but if you cared enough about _us_, maybe none of this would've happened! This is as much of your fault as it is _Kai's_! I don't give a damn about your idiotic boyfriend, he can burn with Kai for all I care, but he has had no influence on the way you act.

You aided Kai's destruction of this team. You keep blaming the constant arguments on me and Finn, but what you don't realize is that you start them! Your _anger issues_ have made this ship _very_ uninhabitable. I don't care how much of a tortured soul you are, that is _no _excuse. Living on this ship means you live under my command. If you aren't willing to shut your trap and stop arguing to create a peaceful environment for the rest of us, _fuck off_.

"Get the hell off my ship. Both of you."

It felt like I had ground my teeth down to the gums. If I wasn't boiling mad enough for all of us, Ace was willing to back me up. I could feel his hand itching to grab his blade and start a war worth remembering. "You don't even _know_ what I've been through to protect this team! I've fended off Cyclonia by—"

"By _what_? Having escapades with Mr. Traitor? Just because he still loves you, _ooh, _Cyclonia won't touch us! I don't give a _fuck_! I never wanted you to fight our battles! I wanted us to handle them as a team! We are _not_ Kai. You don't have to clean up after this team; you are supposed to fight _for_ us _with_ us, not just _for_ us."

"I was doing you a _favor!_"

"We are strong enough together to handle the problems our team encounters! I don't care what you think!"

"If you didn't want my help, why did you even offer to have me on the team?"

"Because I thought it would help you grow up—I figured being depended on, being on a _real_ team would open your eyes to how blind and selfish you are. You are _not_ alone and being on a team does not allow you to work that way."

"You knew who you were dealing with the moment you asked me to stay on the ship. You should've expected this."

"If you're so bent on working alone, why don't you just leave? Why don't you just run to Ace?" He folded his arms across his chest.

"I've already barked up that tree, Sky Knight," Ace sighed.

"You know what's so bright and beautiful about Cyclonia? Through a strict workforce, the rules are set by your superior. You are told what to do, and you are beaten when you screw up. There are no mixed signals and emotions aren't allowed to get in the way. The weak are killed without a thought. You want to know why Ace has been able to take you down by himself _so_ many times? It's because your death would _never_ affect how he lived out the rest of his life. You pause and think, what if I'm never the same? What if I can never recover from killing someone?

"I was born into a Cyclonian family. It is _very_ surprising that I even thought to be a Sky Knight."

Ace cleared his throat.

"Right… But my decision this very moment doesn't mean what you did wasn't wrong."

Ace nodded.

"Ace taking down the original Storm Hawks was unforgivable… but Cyclonia's forces and the way they are disciplined is much more organized than this knitting circle you have, Aerrow." Kai stood by my side, leaning toward Ace. "Take me home, Ace," I demanded, walking toward the door. "I wish you luck with this fan club you're running, Aerrow. You'll need all the luck you can get."

"Luck will never be enough," Ace told Aerrow, pushing him another level closer to rock bottom.

As I neared the door, I could hear Kai get the last words into the argument. "How does it feel to push away everyone you've ever loved?"

"I could ask you the same thing…"

"You know the difference between me and you? I never loved any of the ones I lost."

And that's when Aerrow broke down, the tears finally coming to the surface. As he knelt to the ground in an attempt to wake his unconscious friend, Kai came to our side, leaving the ship with us. Out on the landing strip, I could see Ben keeping a duo of SwitchBlades company.

"Where are we going?" Kai asked, hopeful.

"Glockenchime, right after Cyclonia…"

Somehow, the thought of being on Cyclonia actually struck a chord with me. I smiled with my response, "Think she can find room for me in her army?"

"She's always looking for Sky Knights…," Ace chuckled.

Kai climbed behind Ben, her hands desperately digging through a compartment to her left for crystals. I was reluctant to take my place, but I knew I had to sit behind Ace. With only two SwitchBlades, and the fact that I refused to ever set foot on the Condor again, I took my place and headed off towards the _wonders_ of Cyclonia.

"Home, sweet home…," I sighed.


	11. Take Me

_Kai_

"There is something that no one seems to have any sort of information on. After Lora appeared to no longer hold the Storm Hawks label, everything was silent. There was no activity on your end, Cyclonia's, or the Storm Hawks…" He pulled something from the folder. "They were at Mercy."

"Like General? They were at a hospital? Why is this so out of the ordinary?"

"Well… The day they admitted Aerrow and Finn, everyone important seemed to drop off the face of the earth. Lora was no longer a viable member of their team, and you, quite frankly, disappeared. We couldn't track you for a month."

I sighed. "This is… the most solid proof I've seen…," I muttered to myself. "Tell me more."

"I was hoping you could finish that story."

ooo

I stood in my rightful place beside Ace, wondering how much of a Talon I'd really become. I still considered myself neutral, and it seemed so did everyone else, but how much of my logic relied on Cyclonian ways? I was in this room so much, standing before Cyclonis with her orders, it seemed like a second home.

Sadly, with that much time spent here, I knew why Lora stood before the Master herself.

"Well, well… Ace always knew you'd see it his way. The boy—to this day—hadn't stopped bragging about his job well done."

Once Cyclonis had stepped close enough, Lora—tied to a chair (what a welcome, eh?)—spat in her face. "You don't deserve to speak of anything involving the Storm Hawks."

"Lora, this is a test of loyalty. Spitting on her isn't exactly a good idea." I still resented the fight we had at the bunker, but I wasn't about to let Cyclonis kill her—not after seeing how much I depended on her.

Ace smiled. "The kid's right."

"Tell me everything you know about the Storm Hawks…"

ooo

"You won't be home tonight?" Ben asked.

Ace shook his head. "She might be home in a few days. Try to keep it in your pants until then."

I sighed. "It's only a few days. Don't be a pussy."

His eyes shot toward Ace. "She better come home safe."

Suddenly, the testosterone levels hit the clouds. "Or _what_, Benny Boy?"

Taking an involuntary step back, Ben responded, "S-She… I-I…"

"You love her. Well, that's just fine and dandy, but I really could give less of a shit. Kai, can we go now?"

Lora, standing out of Ace's view, sent me a wave, and motioned toward Ace. "I think we have a bigger problem… Lora needs to speak to you."

Ace seemed a little awestruck. "Oh?"

Lora sent me a half-smile. She seemed to have silently apologized many times for the argument back on the bunker. Although it wasn't one hundred-percent perfect with me, I wouldn't let my reservations be seen out in the open.

As Ace left our little group to console his _girlfriend_, Ben and I stood there smiling.

"Think she's going to apologize?"

Silently, I asked, _For what?_ But in a moment, I realized he didn't just mean about a simple fight. "If anything, Ace will apologize… for everything."

_Lora_

I didn't realize how much trouble asking him to talk somewhere private could get me. The instant the door to his bunker was closed, he couldn't help himself. Pushing him off wasn't an option, so talking would have to wait. At least I managed to keep him away from my face.

Even if this pretty much nullified my argument.

"Do you have time to be fooling around with someone that could potentially rip your dick off?"

"Why, am I supposed to be doing something else?"

_What a dolt… _"Yeah, kind of."

"What can I say? You finally listening to me turns me on."

Somehow I gathered the strength to fend him off for a moment. "I never said I did this for you. In fact, I didn't. Everything you did was wrong, and I will never forgive you for that."

He looked down momentarily before sitting on his bed. "Way to kill it."

I folded my arms across my chest. "You really think me leaving the Storm Hawks meant I forgave you?"

"No, I just figured I'd sleep with you and you'd forget."

"Enough of the jokes, please. This is serious, even if you don't think it is. The outcome of this conversation could mean the difference between you living alone for the rest of your life, or—"

"Or?" he asked with a grin.

"God, it's like talking to a child. I'm not going to just let everything you did go. Striker may have seen it coming, and Torch might've, too, but that didn't mean it was okay to continue with the plan. Lightning Strike was man enough to accept any fate without interference."

"Obviously… I mean, look what I did to him."

"Don't start, Storm Boy. This isn't about you and the fame you should have for what you did."

"…Right," he agreed through his teeth.

I sighed. "But in the end… murder is murder."

Ace stood up, walking back towards me. "But _love_ is love…"

"You have a job you need to stay logical and responsible for. Getting into a relationship will make everything an emotional decision."

"When have you ever known me to think about someone else when saving my own ass?"

I sighed. "Great, so you haven't changed."

"What?" he detested. "So now you're sending me loaded questions? One moment you want me to stay logical, the next you want me to think of you when fighting?"

"I don't want you to compromise your job and your life here in order to keep me happy."

He shook his head. "I will do whatever I damn well please, even if that means keeping you happy."

"Even if it means pissing me off."

"I guarantee you, the next time I take out the Storm Hawks, you will be the first to know," he said, laughing, trying to lighten the mood.

I looked away. "Yeah, but this time, it wouldn't matter. Kai's over the red-headed idiot and I could care less about any of them."

"We both know you're lying."

"Oh?" I stepped closer to him in an attempt to stay dominant in the argument. "Would I be here if I was?"

"Would you be talking to me in this room if you weren't lying about unresolved feelings?"

"I would. I don't like awkward tension."

"Then prove to me you don't care. Take a step back and tell me you don't care about me."

For a moment, there was silence. But before I could even attempt to prove him wrong, all the hard work I'd put in to keep my walls up—to keep him out—was torn down in mere moments. With my lips against his, I could feel him smile. He knew he'd won the argument.

But in the end, we both knew the outcome of it from the start.

_Kai_

"Finally…," I muttered, seeing the not-so-happy couple walk toward us. Angry, Ace stood beside Ben and I. Lora, looking a bit confident, smiled as she waved. "Jesus, what took you guys so long?"

She smiled. "I showed him who's boss."

Ace grumbled quietly.

"Who won the fight?" Ben asked cheerfully.

"Don't think they were fighting, Ben," I laughed. As I smelled the air, my skin crawled with energy. "Well, you could call it wrestling…"

"So? Who won?"

I put my hand over my face, sighing.

"In the end, Ace did, but at least I'm boss, now."

"Fucking bitch…"

Ben and I smiled. "Glad to see you two are on good terms," I told her.

"This is good terms? Hate to see them on bad terms…"

"Trust me, Ben, it's not an enjoyable sight. Can we go now?"

"My pleasure." Ace took off toward the bikes.

I laughed once more, saying goodbye to Ben. I made sure he was long gone before addressing Lora. "Any idea why he's mad?"

"I know you're impatient, so five minutes of waiting for us seems like forever."

"He's mad because he kept us waiting for _you_? I highly d—"

"He's mad because the majority of the five minutes we were gone was fighting. The other minute—"

Trying not to laugh, I responded, "…P-poor guy… hah…"

Lora laughed. "I'm kidding... He's just mad he didn't get what he wanted. Not like he could finish in five minutes anyway."

I shook my head. "He's not getting laid here. I don't know if I agree with you."

She smiled. "Well, maybe you're right, then. I'll call you on it-say... 30 seconds?"

I threw her a thumbs up and laughed.

"Hey, you guys are mean," Ben smiled. "You don't talk about me like that, do you?" he asked, looking at me.

"Have fun on Glockenchime," Lora laughed and waved.

_With the image of them- in my head?_ "Might be tough, but I'll try. Later, Lora."

As I walked away, I tried to tune out the mental images. Suddenly, I could hear Lora from a distance, "K-keep him safe…!"

ooo

Glockenchime was a lot more peaceful than it was made out to be. When briefed, I was told it was drab and pointless. However, only half I immediately knew was not true. Glockenchime was almost literally the center of the Atmos. Every ship ran off of the Timepulse Crystal contained at the very top of the tower.

"Shut it down," Ace ordered a group of Talons flying beside us.

"Wait!" And they froze. "W-wh— You can't shut it down! You know what happens when you shut the Timepulse down?"

Over the radio, Cyclonis added in her say—which was the only say that mattered. "If you don't shut it down, then we'll shut you down…"

I sighed. "She doesn't get it; Atmosia was ravaged the last time you imbeciles shut down the Timepulse. It took an entire harvest season to clean up the shredded pieces of a carrier!"

"Why should their lives matter to you? You won't be harmed in this," she promised. "Shut it down. Now."

I pressed my angered face against Ace's back. "Shut it down, she said… We're all doomed." Ace gave a nod toward the talons. Shutting it down internally meant running through the Timekeepers. "Do you really want to take the long route?" I asked. The impatient talons sighed.

"Can we go or not?"

"Drop me off at the top. I'll shut it down, myself."

Timesaving was definitely an option, so he listened to me. Flying overtop the crystal, Ace laughed. He knew what was coming next. I threw myself from the Switchblade, diving toward the crystal. Much larger than myself, finding a grip on the gyrating gears was troublesome. Like a searing fire, I melted my hands through the gear enough to give myself grip. As it was only spinning around, rather than to and fro like its companion, I wasn't too worried about its stability.

I could feel the crystal's power—I could feel it call my name. It was a strong crystal, one even I was worried about getting my hands on. But what harm could it do next to the Aurora Stone? And, oh, how I wanted the Stone for myself. I would be unstoppable…

I began pulling myself up, wincing as my muscles screamed. My shoulders threatened to give out, so I put my plan into action. I shot three powerful waves through the gears, threatening the Timepulse with overwhelming strength. Knowing it was defeated, it gave in, standing deactivated in the sky. I dropped down onto the secondary gear, noting how impeccable my timing was; just perfect enough to give myself a level surface to land on.

I groaned with the ache in my feet and shins, wondering just when Ace would join me.

"Hello, Kai," Cyclonis announced, walking around the perimeter of the gear.

I jumped to my feet, startled. "How the _hell _did you get here so fast?" We weren't even expecting her presence. At least, I wasn't.

She watched the frozen Timepulse as I continued to rant. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The shutdown prior was merely a test to see just how powerful a crystal it was. With It, we could control all of the Atmos' transportational rights."

I sighed. "What is it with you and world domination?"

"Cyclonia has been looked to as an underlying souce of power, one that would never break through. We had been fought back and beaten down so many times. Master Anarchis was never strong enough to give Cyclonia the boost it needed.

"Recruiting Ace was merely the beginning. Finding such potential in you was the real kicker." Ace landed beside her, rising to his feet. Towering over the leader and I, I felt like a dwarf in a giant's world. I always have.

"You hold such promise for the Reawakening. Aerrow would be a great asset as well but, sadly…," she paused, picking at her nails. "Sadly, he sees things otherwise, as you very well know."

"Start it up!" Ace shouted.

My eyes widened. "What? Wait, what are you doing? You start this crystal back up and we'll all be killed!"

"You're still so naïve… We just needed a place to stand. Your powers will do the rest. As you become the center of gravity—the larger power source for crystal energy—the higher gear shall rotate accordingly. So stop whining."

"I believe she knows what she's doing…," Ace laughed.

Unable to stop the progression of Cyclonis' plan, the gears began to turn, ours in a spinning motion, the gear above us in an unpredictable rotation. The wind picked up to a great speed, blowing Cyclonis' hood off. My hair whipped behind me in the most annoying fashion.

"You see, Kai!" Cyclonis shouted above the roar of the crystal and the wind. "You are more important to the outcome of the Atmos than you will ever know."

I brushed my hair from my eyes, even knowing it would blow right back. "Important enough to make or break your plans…?"

Cyclonis grew angry. "As a neutral party, deciding for or against something just isn't in your nature. Unwittingly, however…"

Ace looked toward me. I could see sympathy in his eyes—a color that has never looked good on him, no matter how rare a color it was. He knew being used for something unwittingly, and against my will, would quickly break my spirit. He also knew it would start a war inside me that _no one_ would be prepared for.

"Everything you've done has been in preparation of this very moment! You can't take anything back, now. You might as well comply."

In an attempt to start controversy among allies, I asked dryly, "More important than your lackey? You know, the one you hold so dear…?"

"A plan is nothing if the main objectives are broken. Without your compliance there would be no point in being here. Had you said the Dark Ace would impede that very fact, I would drop him like a rock from where he was standing."

Ace's eyes grew to shock. "None of this is my doing. I have no part in this plan other than a mindless slave, and even at that you hold no respect for me? After everything I've done for Cyclonia?"

"You are quite the asset to Cyclonia, Dark Ace… But what you don't realize is as much promise as you both hold for Cyclonia, you both are only tools…"

I laughed. "So what you're saying is you fucked and Ace can't let it go."

Cyclonis cleared her throat. "Can you feel its power, Kai? How badly do you want it…?"

"Not enough to sacrifice my life. Do you know how dangerous absorbing something like this could be?"

"I know all about your powers, Kai… I know this crystal is strong enough to survive an absorption large enough to fill your entire body. I know you have the ability to pass on your powers… I know how to cure you…"

Mentally, I fell to my knees. How badly I had wanted to find a cure… I looked for years on my own. Even after splitting from Johnathon, even after knowing how much of an advantage my powers gave me, I wanted desperately to fight against my foes like a normal person. I wanted to come out on top because of who I was, how I fought, and not because of some paranormal disease.

But then it hit me.

Ace fell to a Firebolt—a prized possession he fawned over for years. He betrayed everyone he loved for it. How badly had _he _wanted it? How easily he had fallen to his knees for a mind game… only to have that crystal disintegrated before him by the one he'd betrayed.

I crouched to the ground, making the gear icy to the touch. In any battle, this meant leverage for me. If I change the environment to my needs without hinting to my future intentions, I stand that much farther ahead of my opponent.

"Who said anything about wanting a cure…?"

"I've seen how your soul burns—I can see what makes you tick." As does mine in anger, her skin lit up. Unlike mine, however, her energy was red, and lacked the tell-tale markings. "You want it as badly as you want your mother back."

I closed my eyes, trying to tear myself away from her games. "No one can get her back! She's dead! Nothing can change that!"

"Oh, Kai… You have no idea what I—what Cyclonia—is capable of…"

Ace stepped across the gear, standing beside me. "She wants you to absorb the crystal," he stated, lowering his voice and keeping his lips as still as ice. He kept his charming smile present at all times.

"Don't betray her, now. Wouldn't want history to repeat itself…"

Cyclonis grinned. "Join us, Kai! You'll have everything you've ever wanted at your fingertips. Money… Fame!"

"What good is fame if it's struck with fear?" That's when I charged. I couldn't take it anymore. Like a storm on the premise of destruction, my skin lit up brighter than it ever had. I flickered in and out of her sight, throwing her into disorientation.

"When will you ever learn not to mess with Cyclonia…," she spoke quietly and calmly.

"When I have them pinned down by the neck!" I shouted, appearing before her. I held her tightly in place, my hand wrapped around her neck. Without hesitation, I began to drain every ounce of crystal energy coursing through her veins.

"You're so scared of absorbing something so powerful as the Timepulse… What makes you think taking my powers is such a good thing…?" she asked, seemingly unaffected by my grasp. In an instant, the ice blue-colored energy covering her skin burned red, taking over my own. I could feel the overwhelming strength of what she could do…

"We can't kill you, Kai… But we will _not_ stop until you are a comrade of Cyclonia!"

But I was stronger.

Through the fact that everything I had in me was being drained, I found the strength to move. In an attempt to blow both her and myself off the gear, I forced a blast of energy between us both and caused it to explode. Standing still on the gear—with the aid of the frozen ground I'd created to help me and _not_ her—he was unaffected, while I was blown directly into the Timepulse.

With my veins aching for power, my hunger from being drained… With the crystal so close, I couldn't help myself. I drew in as much power as I found humanly possible.

"Kai!" I could hear Ace call out, beside Cyclonis' malevolent laughter.

"She's beyond help now. Just let her burn…"

"This is all YOUR FAULT!" I screamed, my voice amplified by insurmountable power. "YOU KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! You KNEW it would destroy me!"

She laughed. "What's your point, Fury?"

As my vision faded, I could hear Ace yelling toward his master… and a struggle…


	12. Old Friends

Kai

For the first time in the whole strenuous process, there was silence in the room. He sat there flipping through my folder, seeming disappointed—not in me, but in himself, in the investigation. He wanted to know more—now, for his own selfish curiosity.

I looked up from the table. "You know… I was born on Atmosia… My m-mom died suddenly when I was two… No one ever told me why. I'll never know, now."

"Your father was a good man. He was a lot like you, you know… But in your line of work…"

"You know the only thing that's bad about Cyclonia? Lora would come home and we'd eat out of tiny bowls, whatever she could afford that day… She'd tell me how close she came to screwing up, and how close, every day, she came to having them take care of her for it…"

The man shot a caring smile my way. "I sympathize… I… lost my wife in a talon attack…"

ooo

I didn't even need to open my eyes to know I was laying on dirt. I didn't need to move to know I had hit the ground _hard_. But _where_ I was, and figuring that out, would take a lot more than walking around. I slowly rose to my feet, my vision pulsing with each heartbeat. I groaned loudly, leaning over with my hands against my knees.

I wasn't surprised I survived such a fall—my body is full of surprising defense mechanisms. But how on Atmos I could've dropped from the Timepulse and landed on Terra Atmosia… and not the forest part… I fell halfway across Atmos.

I stumbled to where I remembered the little diner used to be. Nothing. Trying to catch my breath, I looked around. Nothing was where I remembered. Had I really been away from home that long? Had that much changed while I grew up?

"Dad! Daddy!" A child, not watching where he was going, ran into me. "S-sorry, lady."

"H-hey, I know you. Kid—hey, kid, come back here." This was absolutely impossible. There was no way…

"Sorry, miss, but my daddy's home. Dad!"

I stood up straight with a groan, fixing my goggles. "Dad…?" If I was really where I thought I was…

"Striker, how long are we going to be stuck here?"

"It's my son. Does it matter?"

I tried once again to catch my breath and wake up from my little fall, not getting very far. I had to be rational for the situation I was about to face. I was thrown back not just across the Atmos, but back in time… As the three grouped before me, I joined them.

"Little Aerrow," I said with a grin. "You must be Lightning Strike. I'm such a fan." I reached out to shake his hand.

"Nice to see someone young interested in what's going on outside of Atmosia…"

"Who's this dashing young man?" I asked with a grin. His face was unmistakable.

"This is Ace, he's the new Storm Hawk Recruit."

"Ah, nice to see a new face, then."

"And you are?" the leader asked.

For a moment, I paused; but only for a moment. "Seraphina. Seraphina Kaedo." I glanced toward Ace. The naïve young man, who was obviously more interested in the houses around us than saying hello, looked quite a bit different. Not to mention his uniform made him look a bit… off…

"Well, then it's very nice to meet you, Miss Sera. This big guy is my son." Lifting his son onto his shoulders, Aerrow giggled.

"Hello, lady!" he reached out both hands toward me.

Leaning forward, I attempted to reach out and shake his hand. However, Aerrow had a different plan. Grabbing my hand with both of his, he pulled me toward him, and evidently toward his father.

"Sorry," I apologized, shaking little Aerrow's hands before backing away from the Storm Hawk.

"Ace, would you mind giving us a moment? Illyra has some lunch prepared, I'm sure."

With an uninterested nod, he lifted Aerrow off Striker's shoulders and walked toward his house. In the back of my mind I could hear the disappointment, _He won't remember me…_ "It's really nice to meet you, Lightning." I reached out to shake his hand.

Taking my hand, he pulled me into a hug. "I never told you my son's name."

I blinked.

Pretending to kiss my cheek, he whispered in my ear, "It's good to see you again, Kai. Come by the Condor sometime…"

I took a step back. "This is the first time I've ever met you…"

"You'll see, kiddo. I have to go. Tell Aerrow I love him." With a wave, he left me very confused and with little answers. I shook my head, wondering what to do next.

It appeared I was truly back in time… But how? Did the Timepulse really have that ability? Did that mean I had its powers? "Striker!" I shouted towards him. As he turned back, I shot him a grin. "We all miss you so much… You have no idea how different the world is without you."

"And Lora?"

"She still loves you very much."

He smiled, chuckling to himself. And without another word, he left. I wondered if I would ever see him again. It was truly an honor to be in his presence, no matter how short a time it was.

No matter how fun it was seeing my hero, nor how fun it seemed messing with little Aerrow and screwing with Ace's future, I had to leave or I could seriously ruin my future. This is all assuming I wasn't drugged up in some hospital or in a coma from the fall, imagining it all.

Assuming the best rather than the worst, I looked for a way out. Pulling my cloak out of my satchel, I tucked my braid beneath it and lifted my hood, searching around my hometown. I didn't remember much of Atmosia from when I was a child, but it sure was different from the last time I'd been there. How many of my favorite places didn't exist yet?

I sighed. "How much you wanna bet I'm at home? How old am I…?" The safest bet was to not answer that question and get out of there as fast as possible. I picked up my pace to a sprint, running to the docks. I could feel the Aurora Stone pulsing in its little lighthouse, safe from harm, safe from me… I pulled myself away from temptation and stepped foot onto the docks.

Free from ships, I had free reign to do whatever I wished. I took in a deep breath and began asking a very important question.

"How am I going to get home…?"

I looked down, watching the clouds as they licked at the dock supports. I smiled, remember how much fun I had living on Atmosia. It was odd—I lived so close to Aerrow, and yet I'd never once met him. I wondered how much of his life was spent in the Sky Knight Academy. How different would my life be if I'd met him before he was a Storm Hawk? Piper and Finn grew up with him… Maybe it would've been different?

Maybe I wouldn't have grown up to be so selfish if only I had been allowed out of the house. If only my _dad_ wasn't such a selfish bastard. He raised me that way, and died lying alone in the bed he made for himself.

Shaking myself from my musings, I found myself sitting on the edge next to a little girl, one who had taken a liking to watching me as I sat there. "Hey," I whispered, shooting a kind smile.

She waved, kicking her feet through the air. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

I laughed. "I'm trying to get home…"

Leaning back, she started running her fingers through her orange hair. "I like it here. You should stay!"

"Nah… I've lived here long enough, been here long enough… It's time for me to go home."

She shrugged, humming. "It's aweful nice here. So many Knights! You know, I heard Lightning Strike's kid lives here somewhere. Never seen'm though."

I laughed. "You sound just like me when I was a kid." As a carrier flew past the docks, a gust of wind blew my hood off. I could see the child a little more clearly, and she could see me as well. Her face never changed from the naïve, blissful expression she'd kept from the beginning.

"What's your name?" she asked, brushing her hair from her eyes.

I contemplating telling her my real name. What difference would it make? She was just a child. "Sera…"

"Why don't you live here anymore, Sera?"

"Too many memories…"

"Did someone die here?"

"My mom did… when I was younger."

"Mine, too," she said with a nod, looking down at her bare feet.

"I miss my mom…"

"I don't remember mine. I was too young to remember, Daddy says." She was so innocent. I would give anything to go back to those days. She reached out, setting her hand on mine. But the moment she did, she pulled back, beginning to scramble back towards land. "What's going on?"

I looked at the little girl, seeing her rub her hand against her pants—or lack of a hand, at least.

I rushed to my feet and stumbled to her side, holding her on the ground. I knew this little girl better than I should have. "Kai, you have to go home. You have to go home and you have to forget this ever happened…"

"Where's my hand?" she screamed through her tears.

Realizing I may have ruined everything, tears fell from my own eyes as well. "You have to go home… you have to forget!" Through her kicking and squirming, I was still able to hold her down. I leaned over, squeezing the tears from my eyes as I closed them. I kissed her forehead and begged her to stop. Suddenly, she lay limp on the ground, breathing quietly. Afraid I had done permanent damage, I froze.

I began to shake uncontrollably, no longer able to stop the tears. "Kai… Kai, wake up! Please, you have to wake up…" I leaned down again, resting my forehead against hers in an attempt to regain my grip on reality.

As I sat there, hovering over her, my hood fell back over my head. Looking up past the brim of my hood, I could see people were beginning to watch, beginning to gather around the little scene I'd created for myself. I had to become scarce. Quickly.

I sat up on my knees and gently picked the little girl up, carrying her out of the scene in a rush. Instinctively, I carried her home, knowing it would be the only place that would really accept her… the only place that really accepted me. With a bit of trick and balance, I knocked on the door before readjusting my grip on her. Hopefully Dad was home…

I flicked my head downward in an attempt to fully conceal myself from the man I once called dad. The moment he opened the door, however, I wanted to fling myself into his arms and beg him to make everything better—even knowing full-well he would tell me to stop complaining and walk away.

"Take care of her," I demanded quietly. "I don't want her to end up like me." From beneath the darkness of my hood, I could see from the reflection of his glasses my skin was crawling with energy. The man grew both concerned and fearful. He took his daughter from my arms and began to question who I was.

"You're all she's got, Louie."

"Wh-who are you?"

As I walked off, I muttered to myself a bit too loudly, "I love you, Dad…"

"I… love you too… Kai…"

ooo

With tears streaming down my face, I rushed back to the docks. Without stopping, I saw the edge of the wooden walkway nearing. I'd come to a rather bitter conclusion. What had my life become? I resented my father; he was only doing what he knew to do. He knew no better and neither did I. I took Aerrow for granted—the only person who ever truly loved me. I abandoned Ben for a higher power and _never_ once told him I loved him before leaving him high and dry without word one about how I was. He was my second chance and I was selfish.

Selfish as always. A child. As always.

I would rather die than put anyone else in pain… But as I flung myself off the dock, diving through the clouds, I realized—suicide was another selfish act.

I should've let _them_ decide if they wanted to endure the pain…

I pulled my limbs inward, curling myself into a ball as I flew through the air. I closed my eyes as tightly as they would go, wishing I hadn't made my life such a hell, wishing I had changed from the first time I knew something was wrong.

I would've given anything to figure out how to get home—I would give anything for a second chance to make things right with Ben, Aerrow, Lora… all of them.

And as I let go, I grew at peace with my decision. I let my limbs go, flying through the endless clouds. And for a moment, I was happy. But suddenly, the wind changed, and I grew fearful. I began screaming and my eyes shot open. A hand quickly gripped my wrist and I was caught mid-air. As I hung there, the wind whipped at my sides, punishing anything in its grasp.

"I got you!" the man shouted as I swung from the momentum of the fall. "You all right?" he asked.

"Yeap!" I lied with a smile, looking at his face. I was home… I was back in my present time… "I'm all good! Take me home, Ace!"

With a grin, he flew onward, turning his SwitchBlade into a barrel roll to help me back onto his bike. Once in place, I made myself comfortable, holding him tightly. I wondered if there was any way to control the Timepulse's power. If I was able to harness the power of time…

"You came out of nowhere!"

"I could say the same about you."

ooo

Thrown into the darkness of Cyclonis' quarters, I sat with my hands bound behind my backs, my knees burning from dropped so carelessly. My eyes burned with the light, each crystal shining a blinding light in the darkness.

"So you've come… just like everyone else… on their knees, begging for mercy."

"I'll do whatever you want; all I ask is to remain neutral… and for the cure…"

She chuckled, not moving from her machine. "Take her to the holding cells…"


	13. Stage One, Anger

_Kai_

"She was killed in the first real raid when the Storm Hawks were taken down. I knew when I heard, there was nothing I could do. Yeah, I felt horrible; but when you're powerless to change the past, what else are you supposed to do?"

I gave him a caring smile. I was glad he found time in his little interrogation to converse. It was a much needed break for the both of us. "What was her name?"

"Kazria. She's the reason I went to work for the council."

"Ah, so I have her to thank for my capture."

He shrugged. "I suppose so, but you did this all on your own. We just followed your story until the end." Another moment of silence overcame the room just before the door popped open. A young yet stern-looking woman stepped into the room with my daily meal, as well as a cup of coffee for my interrogator.

He gave a nod of approval to the woman before she left. Once we were alone and he had enjoyed his first sip, he continued, "I heard you got a haircut."

I laughed. "It's sort-of a funny story…"

ooo

_Click!_

A light shown blindingly bright, burning through the darkness of my cell. Crawling in through a small doorway, I forced my eyes to adjust. Voices flowed in with the light—a male and a female. I knew who they were. The man's voice wasn't gluttonous enough to be Snipe, but not shrimp enough to be Ben, even if his treacherous ass was allowed on Cyclonian grounds. I wondered if Cyclonis wanted Ben dead.

The female voice was familiar, but due to my dulled senses, discerning the two between Lora and Cyclonis was impossible. I knew Ace stood beside the woman—that was all I grasped from the situation.

I groaned, rattling my bonds as I shifted. My joints were stiff from prolonged immobilization. How long had I been unconscious? As my eyes continued to adjust, I caught the end of my braid beside my leg, partially tangled and unwoven. I sighed, _So much for personal hygiene._

Ace stepped further into my chamber. "Unlock the one around her neck, at least."

"She's useless to me if she can fight back. I want to break her." The similarities between Lora and Cyclonis were impossible to tell apart—their hatred towards me was identical, but their voices were far from similar. This was Cyclonis. "I want to take everything she has and burn it until she has nothing left but us."

"She will never join you. She's nothing like me. Kai is a monster all her own."

"Even the strongest of souls will fall to power. She has proven that many times before. See what you can do with her." The cloaked figure stepped out of the room.

Ace walked toward the bars of my cell. He sat down on the floor against the wall and sighed. "Seeing you locked up makes me feel young again," he laughed. "However, the adult in me knows the kid in me can't be an alcoholic."

"Why are you letting her do this to me?"

"She knows I'm the only person—aside from your little monkey-boy, Ben—that can really convince you otherwise." I could hear him moving before tossing a canister across the ground. It skidded to my knees. "I'm sure when your meal comes, the guard will completely understand."

"Why aren't you stopping her?" I didn't care how he thought he would pull off Cyclonis' plan.

"You need the power she has. You won't deny that."

I tried to sit up straight, but I was quickly caught by the brace around my neck. I was _floored_, and I wasn't going anywhere. She had more than just a leech crystal sitting in my room—I knew the box on the wall with the blinking red light was Lora's handiwork. She built a device honed on draining crystal energy and preventing its use within fifty feet of that very box only a year prior. Putting it in my cell was like a kick in the ribs. I _helped_ her build that.

"I need Ben..."

Ace laughed. "At least she's getting to you."

I wanted him to let me out. I didn't like being locked up and caged like an animal. The annoyance brought on stage one—anger. "What do you want from me? What will it take to win you over? I heard you lost your precious Firebolt."

I could hear him move again just before the bars shook. The light framed his figure, and I watched as he stepped toward me.

"What do you want, huh? Money? Power? Sex?"

"As much as I'd love to ruin you and hurt Benny-boy…" Ace hesitated. Genuinely interested in the offer, he paused, kneeling before me. He whispered in my ear, touching my face and arm with his grimy fingers. "As much as I love the smell of your perfume, the color of your skin, the idea of power transfer… the thought of you tearing apart the Storm Hawks, following in my footsteps…"

Ace forced my head upward, as if to look at him—a colorless figure. He grew close to me, his lips brushing my own. I longed for the closeness—I missed the emotion and love; love without arguments—and he pulled away as I inched forward. My bonds forced me away from him and prevented me from bringing him closer. There was no denying the tension between us.

I could feel his lips curl into a smile just before he pulled me into a kiss. I could feel the power instilled in his veins—sitting dormant just beneath the surface. For a moment, I felt normal. I felt like I wasn't the only one that was different.

For a moment, kissing Ace felt _right_. For that instant, I forgot all about Lora, Ben, Aerrow, and all of my stress. He was the only one who could ever make me _forget_. He was the only one I wasn't allowed to have. For just a _moment_… I didn't realize who was standing beside me.

"_Casus belli_," Cyclonis whispered in my ear. A flash of light nearly blinded me.

Suddenly, I felt confused. I wanted to know why Ace had suddenly left my side. I wanted to know how Cyclonis entered my cell without my knowledge. Had Lora made tweaks to her device? I began to feel weak, but I was yanked backward before I could succumb to my weakness.

"You know what we want…," she breathed, voices of the ancients intertwined with her own. "You know what _I_ want…" She readjusted her grip on my hair. I fell in and out of consciousness. I kept calling out for Ace, but not for help. I wanted him to come back.

"I'm not done with you… not yet…," I mumbled.

Cyclonis laughed malevolently. "This should teach you to defy my wishes. You should know...," she paused. Suddenly the tension on my scalp was released; my braid never hit my back. "I always get what I want…"

As I fell back into my forced stance, I was horrified—I could see the ends of my hair as they swung past my jaw. Although my mind was in a fog, nothing could take away the absolute terror and pain I was feeling.

"I hope you've learned your lesson…" Cyclonis promptly left the room, praising her new trophy.

I tried desperately to stay awake. I wanted to know how I became the victim, why she was doing this to me, and how Ace could just sit there and watch as she broke me. Ace stepped toward me and kneeled before me once more. He brushed the tears from my cheeks and kissed my forehead.

"No matter how many times I'd thought of making you my own… I know that I have Lora, now, and you have Ben. Eventually… Eventually, you'll have the life you've always wanted."

"You… bastard…"

"I promise, Kai. I've put you through too much not to see that through."

ooo

I woke up on the cold floor, shivering violently. Nightmares were enough to prevent slumber, but exhaustion beckoned. Alone with my thoughts, I had ample time to think.

I was stuck in a Cyclonian holding cell with Cyclonis only an ear-shot away. With Lora's box, escape was impossible. However, without my bonds, I had a bit more freedom. And yet, even with this freedom, I had no motivation. I wanted to lie there and do absolutely nothing.

If contemplating my escape wasn't an option, I knew there was a much more important matter to cover. Not too long ago, I found myself decades in the past. No, it wasn't a dream. I had come to terms with the fact that I had actually travelled back in time, met little Aerrow and my hero, Striker—who stated that wasn't our first meeting—and run into myself. I was horrified over what I had done to her.

Coming in contact with a paradox—running into myself—created a bit of a hole in time. Little Kai began to disappear… Although it didn't do any visible damage to the timeline, the mental scars of how careless I was would never go away.

If I ever got out of the Cyclonian cell, and if I ever chose to use my new abilities again, I would never be so ignorant. I would never go so close as to compromise my own life.

The real questions were how I threw myself back in time, and how I returned to the present. Even if I never tapped that power source again, understanding how it was done would prevent another accident, and would help reverse one if one had occurred.

The chilling thought of what I had let slip in the past returned. I couldn't shake the horrifying feeling. I didn't want to be alone. "Hello?" I called out. "Guard?"

In strolled a young woman with a plate. I knew the food I was about to receive would be absolutely putrid. The girl slid the plate under the bars. "You're free to move, you know."

"Yeah, I grasped that." I sat up and rubbed my arms. I was freezing. Food was the last thing on my mind. "You sound familiar. Have I worked with you before?"

"It's possible, Fury. Then again…" He stepped toward the bars. "I'm a master of disguise, Kai." She placed a crystal near her face. Light from a Chroma crystal lit up her features. I could clearly see the definition between Cyclonian goon and the traitor I loved to hate. Lora quickly replaced the Chroma crystal in her pocket as to not be discovered.

I kicked the plate back through the bars. "What do _you_ want?"

"I just wanted to see what she did to your hair. Saw the braid in her office. She's quite proud of it."

Although I was free to roam the cell, I had no intention of moving. I felt calm. "Mind coming in here? I'm having trouble opening this flask your boyfriend left me." I was tempted to tell her how Ace had betrayed her. I was tempted to ruin their relationship just to hurt her, but I knew he was just following orders. Lora would probably understand his intent, too.

However, following orders didn't explain the emotion behind his kiss.

"I would, but I'm scared you'd kick my ass. Oh! Right! You _can't!_" Lora laughed. "Like how I decorated your new home?" Lora walked over to the wall,

"You're such a bitch, you know that? I was just trying to make conversation. You have to ruin _everything…_"

"Nah, that's not me. That's you. But listen, I do know someone that wants to see you. He's been bugging the hell out of me. I give him such a stress-free environment and all he wants to do is see _you._"

"Get on with it."

Through the doorway flew a bright ball of color. I felt an odd surge in power, even through the drainage device. The moment that little ball of power opened its mouth, rage grew inside me. "Hey, Kai."

"I thought I burned you along with Lora's chest."

"You burned him _into_ me," Lora corrected. "You don't know how ecstatic I was finding out that fall I took from your window was so worth it."

"I have to go," Torch whined. "I'm not allowed to talk to you."

"Don't be such a bitch, Lora! I saved his life, you owe me that much!"

Lora laughed in disgust. "After all the shit you've put me through? Letting you see him right now… You don't even deserve that. I like your haircut, by the way. Makes you look like a total druggie. Let me know when you need your next fix. I'll gladly shove the crystals up your ass for you." Without another word, Lora walked away. Torch lingered for a moment more, a pitiful expression on his face.

I knew from experience that Lora could hear everything he said _within_ her, no matter how far away she got. Torch knew that as well, and refused to comfort me before leaving.

I could see he was hurt over what I did with him. I could see he missed me, but the distrust still held firm.

I looked away from the both of them and crawled to the corner of my cell. As much as I craved the human interaction, I wanted to be alone and away from Lora. I wanted to be away from my thoughts.

Stage two was depression. This was the last stage. I refused to take more than a moment of it. I didn't have to be vocal—just the thought of the witch called her presence. "What?" she growled, stepping into my cell.

"I'm done. What do you want from me?"

Cyclonis laughed quietly. "I need you to fix a race…"


	14. CRUNCHIES!

_Kai_

When it came to eating, I was allowed freedom. For this, I was happy; it never lasted long enough, though.

"How old are you now, Kai?" he asked.

"Nineteen," I said, my mouth stuffed with food. It was much better than anything I could've made myself. "B-but you probably knew that already, Mr. Smarty-Investigator." The only time he saw true kindness and humor from me was while I was eating. Although food never changed what I knew, he always hoped it would.

"You were fourteen when you joined the Storm Hawks, right?"

I stayed silent, stuffing more steak down my throat.

"Kai… I want to know where you disappeared to for the months where… well, technically, you didn't exist."

ooo

Cyclonis released me from the cell, but the room I was relocated to was no better. She drilled scripts into my mind, forcing orders and words down my throat. I wanted nothing more than to hear silence and comply blindly. Where was I going? Saharr.

The only issue I had with complying was the fact that she wanted me to go back in time. I refused to use those powers—even if I had control of them.

"You'll find you know more about those powers now than you did before."

"Sure, because I actually have them now."

She rolled her eyes. "Trust your instinct. It's how I learned…"

I made no physical twitch, but my mind froze. Cyclonis gave off strong crystal energy, as did Ace, but neither of them showed the abilities I had. Cyclonis claimed to possess a cure—had that meant she dealt with everything I was going through and found a way to fix it?

No. She may have been my age, she may have had the same time to deal with it as I did, but there was no chance in hell an event like that from a public figure wouldn't have hit the news.

Ace poked my arm as he passed through the room. "You'll do fine. I remember this well."

Cyclonis dismissed my presence and acted as if I weren't in the room. "She fucks up, she's dead."

I growled, looking away. I took her advice and trusted my instinct, giving everything I had to searching for the Timepulse's power.

As Ace sensed the rise in power, he shielded his eyes and jeered, "Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up!"

"…..Bastard," I growled before vanishing in a swirl of wind, light, and energy. I was pushed through time and space—literally. Integrated into the Wastelands was Cyclonia, and bordering the Wastelands was Saharr. Without lifting a finger, I was flung beyond Cyclonia's bridges, through the molten rock, and onto the sandy terrain of Saharr's desert.

I pulled a wrap out of my satchel and covered any visible skin to protect it from the harsh, dry weather. I was to walk from my location to the location of the Carnival. In a matter of twenty-four hours, the carnival would finish its set-up and open its doors. The race would take place a day later. Having visited the carnival only once before, I knew they had my favorite snacks.

Botagon Crunchies.

I laughed quietly to myself, praying the day of starvation wouldn't prompt me to empty my funds into their cash boxes. I loved those crunchies more than any crystal in the world. If they ceased to exist, time travel would be more than worth it.

I have yet to figure out why I was so in love with those deliciously spicy snacks.

I was tempted to cross the desert using a more desirable method, but I was running low on crystal energy, I didn't want to spend my money on a ride, and I didn't feel like stealing one, either. But once I arrived at the carnival's location, I was more than happy with the wait, considering the reward.

I found a raptor around my age sitting outside of a tent. He seemed bored with his chores—he was looking for an escape. I didn't see the harm in saying hello, so I unwrapped the desert clothing and sat beside him.

I provoked an awkward silence to spark a more interesting conversation.

"Don't tell me my father wants something else…"

I smiled. "Nope. I'm bored, too."

"Are you from the racing staff?" he asked. I was positive he was part of the carnival crew. If not part of the crew, a member of one's family. He was no more than a year away from me in either direction.

"I'm part of the race, you could say. I've got nothing to do until the carnival opens." I dug my hands in the sand and focused on the cool sensation, trying to silence my stomach. A familiar smell wafted past us, and I had to contain myself and the burning questions. However, nothing could get in the way of my crunchies.

"Does your father make the Botagon Crunchies?"

"You're using me for food?"

My eyes widened and my hands flew to my face. I covered my mouth. "N-no!" I retracted, my statement muffled. I removed my hands and waved them to prove my point. "No, I just have a huge addiction to them. I can't help myself. I smell crunchies, I must find crunchies."

"…You're funny. What's your name?"

"Kai. What's yours."

"Repton."

I froze. So much for a harmless conversation. But then I remembered: Repton, as intertwined with Cyclonia as he is, he was a dolt with a tail. He would never remember me. "Nice to meet you, Repton… I gotta say though, I wasn't kidding about those crunchies. This addiction of mine is kind of pathetic."

He smiled, his tongue slipping through his lips. "Seems like Dad's cooked up the first batch. I don't want to deal with him to get them for you."

I fell over, lying in the sand. "My crunchies! I love you!"

Repton stood up, unable to hide a smile beyond his depressed exterior. "I'll see what I can do. Promise you'll stay for dinner?" He held a hand to pull me out of the sand.

I wondered if Repton's anger issues ran in the family, or if his family was the cause of his anger issues. "What do you guys eat? I'm sort of picky."

"If you like our crunchies, you'll like our food. Promise."

"I mean picky like crunchies and fries are about the only things I eat."

"How do you live?" he whined dramatically.

I smiled, brushing the sand off my body. "I live off crystals."

Although half of him seemed not to believe me, the other half began scheming. "Maybe I can get you a box of cooking crystals."

I laughed. "It's fine, really. I'm not going to be here long."

"Man cannot live off crunchies and fries alone!"

"Right… Beer, too."

Repton laughed, gripping the flap of the tent. I waited patiently outside of his temporary home for the answer of what was to become of my beloved crunchies. "M-my dad wants to meet you."

"I'm worthy of the epic crunchies, I swear."

He smiled. "That's why he wants to meet you."

ooo

Although I was worried about what I was getting myself into, I knew I had the power to get myself out of anything in an instant. Reversing it was the hard part—an option I wasn't sure how to carry out. His father was surprisingly reserved, both physically and emotionally. He was the hardest man to read I've ever met.

He sat beside his wife—who seemed to have a love of food, herself—and watched me intently. "My son says you have some sense of humor."

I wanted to prove I was a friend to each one of them without seeming like I was desperate for their delicious crunchies. I also wanted to prove that my love of crunchies would live on well past my death, had they chosen to kill me.

"I just have to say that I love what you do here. If you ever stop making crunchies, I will kill you all."

Repton laughed. "See? She's hilarious."

"It's funny because I'm not kidding!" I laughed, almost insanely.

For the thirty minutes we spent eating in silence, I never once saw his father crack a glint of emotion in any direction. One joke did it—his father burst out in a roar of laughter. I wasn't sure if I should be scared or relieved. His wife chimed into the laughter. I sat there in silence, awaiting my verdict.

"She's hilarious!"

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Repton whispered to me, "This is the first time he's laughed in a long time. I wish you'd come around more…"

I wanted to tell him I could never be his friend, if only to be truthful, but I kept my thoughts to myself. I could feel Repton's heart beating out of his chest as he spoke to me. The dolt had a crush on me… Fucking great.

"You must stay the night. You look like you've been through hell to get here," his father offered.

I wanted to decline, but the instant I began to speak, his mother shoved crunchies onto my plate. "They're the best around; I guarantee it."

No one heard word one from me until the crunchies were gone. My next question was if I could have more, and she was more than happy to oblige. "You don't know how long it's been since I've had some of these."

"I didn't realize how serious you were when you said you were obsessed," Repton said, clearing his throat.

"They're all I eat."

His father chuckled warmly. "How do you live?"

I blinked, my skin crawling with a wave of energy. "I eat crystals."

He froze as well. "Last person I heard ate crystals died of a large glowing mass in his stomach."

"I'm serious. Gimme a cooking crystal."

When they realized I wasn't kidding, they all watched me intently. Repton's mother tossed me a crystal. I realized at this point, I was becoming too comfortable around the future Cyclonian ally and his family. I had to somehow take back my claims. So, I pretended to get all serious and act as if the crystal was going to disappear. I nudged the crystal upward and asked, "Are you ready?"

They were all pulled into it like a sideshow magician preparing to make Terra Saharr's pyramids disappear. I firmly grasped the crystal, stared directly into Repton's father's eyes, and abruptly shoved the crystal into my mouth. Only half of it made its way in before I pulled it out and laughed. "I'm kidding. Who would be dumb enough to eat a crystal?"

They sat there, still intrigued before they realized I was actually kidding. Repton's father and mother started an uproar of laughter, but Repton wasn't convinced. He stared at me, waiting for the epic conclusion of my big show. As a treat, and a thanks for getting me crunchies, I grasped the slobbered-on crystal and turned it to dust. The resulting surge in energy caused a wave of crystal energy on my skin. Repton smiled. I could tell he was still a big kid at heart.

This was his little secret, and he wouldn't let it go for the world.

"I want to thank you guys for the dinner, but I really must be going."

"You must stay!" his father argued. "It would be an honor to have you stay with us. Just until tomorrow. Please, consider it."

I shook my head. "I can't. I really can't. I shouldn't even be here right now. I couldn't help myself. Your crunchies are so damn good…" I found myself licking my fingers, then the plate. I began tearing up the bag his mother had left beside my plate before I caught myself and collected my dignity.

Again, his father was laughing. I wondered what sort of humor this family found funny. I was being one hundred percent serious.

"If you're sure, there's nothing we can do to stop you. You're welcome here any time. Remember that, Kai."

"I will. I'll remember Repton's kindness, too. I'll hold it against you, boy!"

He smiled, looking away.

"I have to be going, now. Thanks again for the meal. I really appreciate the crunchies."

The man and woman nodded. Repton quickly stood up from his chair, ushering me out of the tent. "Please stay, Kai. I've never seen my father so happy."

"I really can't. I mean that; I'm not kidding this time."

From his expression, I knew he'd grasped my point. "Thanks for putting him in a good mood. I owe you for that."

_I'll remember it_, I told myself. If I ever ran into Repton in my future, I would surely use it against him. Had I only known this sooner... I noticed the reptile still held a grip on my hand. I felt awkward, knowing Repton's future and who he would become. He seemed so gentle at such a young age. I felt like I was taking advantage of his kindness simply because I knew his future.

I stood on my toes to match up to the tall lizard. I kissed his scaly cheek before thanking him again. As he waved goodbye, I could feel the guilt crawling up my spine. Even though I had my crunchies, the guilt still peered through. Nothing ever stood out more than my favorite snack; not once. For once in my life, I felt human for letting the guilt get to me. I was actually feeling remorseful. I wasn't sure if I was becoming more human or if I was growing soft. I hoped for the former.


	15. Velocity

_Kai_

"I loved going to the carnival. I would always ride The Spinner until I barfed."

He laughed. "No surprise. I used to go there every year with my wife."

I watched as the last bits of food disappeared from my plate. My bonds were quickly replaced and I felt my freedom escape me.

The man sighed, drinking the last of his coffee. "Have you ever been to a Velocity race?"

ooo

I promised myself I would enjoy the carnival while I had the chance. Stuck under Cyclonis' orders, I had a strict itinerary once preparations for the race started. However, I was on my own time until then. I had the entire day to enjoy myself. I must admit it was tempting to spend the day with Ace, but both Ace and Cyclonis agreed it was better not to ruin the timeline. Spending time with Ace in this time could've potentially affected his decision in the end. That would ruin _everything_.

The first tent I visited was no surprise—the moment they opened, I helped myself to the first batch of crunchies. Repton was happy to see me.

"Nice to see you again, Kai. Are we going to see you throughout the carnival?" his father asked.

I shook my head. "I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon. I just thought I'd support your efforts." I picked at the little bag of samples sitting on the edge.

His mother had quite the smile, which doubled the moment she saw me. "Kai! Welcome back! I was hoping you'd show up! I have made this _just_ for you…" She handed me a bag. I could smell the fresh dough in their kitchen being delicately fried. At least, I hoped it was dough. I didn't care if they were roaches—I would still eat them.

"Thanks so much. Are you sure you don't want me to pay for them?"

Immediately, the man and woman shook their heads. "We're more than grateful to you."

"They have been in such great moods since you showed up," Repton confirmed. "Humor hasn't been one of their strong points.

I smiled. "I'm glad. You guys are making me more human."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Kai."

Repton's father smiled. "We'll let you get back to the carnival. I hear they've got a lot going on this year!"

I nodded. "Two-headed dragonkins; I can't wait!"

Repton waved goodbye. It was then that I wished for a normal life. I wished I lived in a world where good and evil blended with society—where oyu had to guess who was right and who was wrong, and trust your instincts in the end. I wanted to live in a world where you heard the word hero, not because someone tore down an evil emperor, but because an average citizen rescued someone from a burning building.

I wanted to live there… wherever _there_ was.

Although the carnival was mundane compared to when I was a child, I enjoyed the time away from the obligations of being a hunter. That trip away from work reminded me of being a Storm Hawk. Sure, you had those moments where everything had to be serious, but Aerrow always made sure work was soothed by play. Even through the calming nature of escaping life, I wished I was on Neon and not trapped in a job I didn't want to be doing.

I threw my final empty bag of crunchies off the cliff before me, watching it flutter down. The sunset called the end of the first day and the closure of the tents. Of course, there was one last surprise. The first night of the carnival, once everything was turned off and it was dark out, the fireworks started. Literally.

Through the crowd, I found my spot on the opposite side of the carnival. I adjusted my feet on the ground and awaited the start of the show. Someone touched my hand, and I was quick to slide over. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"No, no; it's fine," she responded, looking up from the scene of the crime.

I quickly became glad that it was dark out. I knew those blue eyes anywhere. "Where's your date?" I asked, soon wishing I hadn't.

"Ace? Do I know you?"

"Sort of. I know him. I saw you two together," I lied. "You make a great couple." I told myself I wouldn't cry.

Lora smiled. "Thanks… My name's Lora."

"Seraphina." I prentended I was cold, pulling my cloak out of my bag just as Ace stepped through the clouds.

"Did I miss anything?"

Just as she'd looked up, I slipped away, taking another spot just far enough away from them. "Tell Striker I said hi," I whispered as I slinked past them.

Lora looked at her lover. "No, I was just talking to… Where'd she go?"

Ace shrugged. "I'm sure she's not important."

"Not now…," I sighed. I quickly lost myself in the fireworks and wished for the day to be over. I wanted to be home with Ben…

ooo

I woke up bright and early the day of the race preparations. "Good morning. Time to break some laws…." I collected myself and my things before exiting my little cave. I climbed onto a little SandRunner I borrowed from Repton's family the night before and sped off toward the carnival. I was a bit anxious over messing with Ace's bike.

What if a regulations officer caught me? I could come up with the story about being part of Ace's crew, but who would believe that? I wasn't a Storm Hawk, so it wasn't likely. What if _Ace_ caught me? I was definitely screwed, then. Even though Cyclonis and Ace talked of that possibility as if it had happened, they told me to prevent it at all costs. Get in, place the crystal and instructions, and leave.

Just outside the mechanic's entrance stood overpriced memorabilia. I purchased a hat from the man and hung it on my bag. I reached behind me, expecting to find a braid, but was quickly depressed at the sad realization. My braid was the only thing I had that reminded me of the life I once had—the person I once was. As I pushed back the tears, I pulled up my short hair and hid it under the hat, a strand or two peeking out from beneath the brim.

As if I worked there, I stepped through the mechanic's entrance of the race tents.

I hid my face once I'd spotted Ace and Lora. They stood by the blacksmith's hut, arguing over his headgear. I laughed, "So that's where he got it from." I continued onward. His tent was close by, and from the looks of it, unguarded. I made myself at home. I was even comfortable enough to remove my hat. If I was going to live with my short hair, I was going to _live_ with it. I pulled my goggles out of my bag and placed them on top of my head, examining his bike.

For a Storm Hawk, his bike was _shit_. I had to remember, though, that I was eleven years in the past and technology wasn't that great back then. I was tempted to push a newer bike into the past, but that would bring in suspicion from the regulation officers, and could ruin Cyclonis' plan.

I was also tempted to betray Cyclonis. She wasn't my boss. I wanted to be neutral, anyway. I just needed my freedom, and the only way to do that was to comply.

I hung up my bag and got to work. Ace's bike was a mess. Sure, I had worked with bikes that old, but not in such pristine condition. That made my work much easier. I had to work quickly; with Ace not so far away, the odds of running into him seemed to grow.

Beside his bike, I tossed his toolset. I crawled on my back and lay beneath the bike, tuning up the engine. His bike needed to be fast without looking modified. Frustrated with my ability to tear apart his bike, I had to delve deeper. I placed my hands on the belly of the bike and searched for the core crystal in the bike. The engine crystal—so old yet so new. It had moderate power, but it was nothing compared to the bikes from my time. Not only did it need to go as fast as a bike from my time, it needed to go faster. The crystal Cyclonis gave me would do the trick, but it was a one-shot deal. It wouldn't last him the entire race.

I searched within me, finding quite the surprise—an energizer crystal. Maybe I had it for lunch, or desert. On the serious side, though, I had the power to help Ace, so I did. I gave his Engine crystal a boost and crawled out from under his bike. I placed my hands on the seat and sighed, leaning over the bike. I felt drained—I hadn't stocked up on energy in a while, and transferring what little I had left to his bike almost did me in.

"Oi, buddy, get off my bike. Rules say no one's allowed back here before the race."

I froze. Ace was back just as I was about to leave. I was prepared, I told myself. I had the ability to handle this without ruining everything. "Rules, eh?" I laughed. "Since when are you one to follow rules?" I turned to face the young man. He truly was a work-in-progress. Although his looks weren't half bad, you could see a hero-to-be beneath his skin, just waiting to be corrupted by Cyclonia. It was no surprise—Cyclonia convinced him before Striker could convince him otherwise.

I found it odd, however. The day I met Lightning Strike, it seemed he already knew of Ace's betrayal. Had I told him what was to become of his co-pilot? Since when had I met him before that day, anyway? I didn't want to think about it. I had bigger matters to worry about.

"Excuse me?"

"Here…," I paused, reaching into my bag. I could feel the crystal cry—I could hear the stories of the destructions it has seen. It asked me to end its life and use it for a better purpose than to serve Cyclonis. I couldn't comply, and that made me sad. "Take this. You're not allowed to lose this race, understand?"

He caught the crystal as I threw it, immediately looking at the strange crystal. His brow pulled together. "I thought I had two more weeks!"

_Two more weeks?_ Two more weeks until the uprising of Cyclonia, I assumed. Two more weeks until the destruction of the Storm Hawks. He had two more weeks. I wanted to tell him not to do it. I wanted to tell him he would lose Lora and everyone he loved. I wanted to use the guilt of Striker's son, and how much Aerrow would look up to him had he stayed a Sky Knight.

I couldn't say a word, and that killed me.

"Oh, you do," I said with a grin. "But you're going to win this race…"

"By cheating."

"So you've lost your loyalty?" I aksed. At that point, I grew angry. I already didn't want to be there, and finding out my trip and my fall to power was pointless made me burn inside. I disappeared, appearing a split moment later directly in front of him, my hand around his neck. "Welcome to the future, Dark Ace. You can't escape this…" I wouldn't let him. Not after everything I'd gone through. "Deny it all you want. Hell, throw the race away… but nothing will stop fate." I looked into his eyes, calling him every name in the book. I could hear each word echo off the walls of my mind. I wished those words were vocal. I wish he heard me.

_Traitor. Bastard. Uncaring… Insensitive…_

I removed my hand from his neck. Suddenly, I felt that pull of passion—the same pull I felt in my cell. I had to walk away from him or I would _definitely_ ruin her plan. "God… you've always been this way." I paced back and forth, placing my focus on his bike. It needed to go faster still. The bit of power I'd given it wouldn't be enough.

I felt his burning stare. I could feel his confusion and desire.

"I'll fix up your bike, but you'll use that crystal at your discretion, understand? Timing is essential."

He looked down, examining the crystal once more. "What is it with you Cyclonians and destiny?"

I laughed, shrugging my shoulders. I leaned a hand against the bike once more, picking up a wrench. "Don't ask me; I was given a script." I placed the wrench between my teeth, pulling the door off the fuse box. "Plus, you're a stubborn jackass and you always will be. Someone has to drill it through your skull, even if your girlfriend can't."

"Girlfriend?" he asked, surprised. "Have you been watching me? Are there others here?"

"…Something like that…" Once I'd noted how the fuses were connected, I ripped apart his bike. I tore off armor that didn't need to be there, lightening up his frame. He was winning a race, not fighting off a plague of Raptors.

His burning stare returned. Why did he feel the need to watch me? I didn't look that different. Sure, I had tattoos down both my arms and legs, but my legs were covered by desertwear. His eyes traced my every move throughout my entire stay there. Once I'd finished with his bike, I stood up and brushed myself off, tossing his tools back into the box.

He managed to tear his eyes off me. That's when I took my chance. I watched him carefully. I wanted to know what Ace was like. I wanted to know what made him different between age eighteen and twenty-nine. He was ten years older than me, yet I felt so close to him in more than one aspect. Granted we were the same age right now…

He looked different without his headgear. Sure, I'd seen him on an off day dressed in civilian clothing—stuffy nose and all. That was different, though. I loved seeing him in plain clothing, and not just when he's sick.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, shaking me from my musings.

"Cyclonis sent me… Against my will, might I add…," I growled, looking away. I was trying to be happy. I was trying to enjoy myself. Ace brought back the thought of Cyclonia, and I wasn't happy about that. "The damn girl thought if you were involved, I might give a damn."

I could see he caught the anger and depression. This was the nice side of Ace I loved—but I loved the _search_. I didn't like it being out in the open. I loved having to look for his niceness.

He sighed, searching for a drink. The regulation staff must've left a tray of water for him before I arrived. He took water from the tray and sipped from it, watching me once more. "What's your name?"

It was an automatic response to tell the truth. _Kai_, I thought. Seraphina was a close call. I didn't want him to recognize me from the other day. "…Fury. At least, that's what I'll tell you."

"Fury… Odd name."

"Comes from this," I explained, showing him my necklace. My necklace was my power supply. I chose to store crystal energy within that crystal. That way, they crystals couldn't control me. However, the incident with the Timepulse wasn't my choice—I didn't have that split second to divert power to my necklace. That's why I was overcome. That's why accidents are possible. "A Fury crystal… They were discovered not too many years from now…"

"In which direction?" he asked, laughing mockingly.

"The future…," I told him seriously. "About Eleven years… Someone discovered a crystal deposit in the wastelands and sent prisoners out there to mine." I shook my head. "You'll see… Don't make me explain it."

"I'm in over my head… aren't I?"

"You're asking me?" I laughed. "If you think you have it bad… Imagine being forced to absorb some of the Timepulse. That's how I got here."

"You were sent eleven years in the past because you touched the Timepulse crystal?"

I shook my head. I needed to explain this to him without wasting his or my time. I pulled a fuel crystal from the tank in his Skimmer. "I'm here because I absorbed some of its power…" In proving that fact, I turned the fuel crystal to dust, feeling the power reenergize my body.

Ace froze. This wasn't a "I'm stunned" moment. This was a moment of anger and confusion. "Get out of here," he demanded.

"Or what?" I laughed.

"Or I will kill you with that wrench." This was the side of Ace I loved. I loved having to dig beneath that tough exterior to find the human side of him.

I laughed. It was all a farce. Ace would never get away with it, and he knew that. "You think you could get to me faster thn I could get a hand around your neck?"

"I will do _everything_ in my power to bask your skill in… no matter what your mutant _powers_ could do to me." He stood up, taking a dominant step toward me.

Ace was a serious man. He always meant what he said, even if he knew he couldn't back it up. Maybe not at that very moment, but Ace would make it happen eventually. And that's what I told him.

"Do I ever kid?"

I looked away. "No… even if oyu don't have the power to back it up, you don't lie." I stepped toward him. "Well, comrade," I sighed, examining him once more. I wanted to change his future just a bit. I wanted to make him mine. I wanted him to forget about Lora… "I have to say, you look a lot different without that metal contraption. Different, but not better." His headgear made him_ him_.

His eyes locked onto mine.

"I'd love to stay and continue this little chat, but you're a total asshole," I laughed. I pulled my goggles over my eyes, preparing to leave.

I could feel the hesitation. He wanted to say something. "…What's your real name?"

I hesitated. Would it have been okay to tell him who I was? "Kai…" For a moment, I remained serious, but looking into his eyes made me smile. I shot him a salute and my grin grew twice its size. "See you later, Sky Knight…" And with that, I threw myself back home.

It was nice to see him at that age. It was nice to learn more about him…


	16. Back to the Beginning

_Kai_

"So, are we finally getting somewhere?"

I groaned. Lack of energy was starting to hit me. I knew my body was craving something—but what? Food? I had been fed. Caffeine? Maybe, but that shouldn't hurt my veins the way my body was aching. I clenched my fists and shuddered, withdraw symptoms hitting me like a brick. My body was crying and there was nothing I could do. "I… don't know what else you're looking for. You're the one with the questions, and you seem to know which direction we're going in."

"Well, we're steadily climbing toward the present…" He waved in another council member, who tended to my chills and shivers.

"She's got some sort of fever…," she told him.

"Well, I suppose that we should hurry this along, then."

I watched my reflection in the table, light crashing like angry waves beneath my skin. "Why…? Why me…"

ooo

I was finally back home—I could feel the warmth of my own time surround me, and I was comfortable. Free, for now, I decided to use my time for myself. Flitting from structure to structure, I gae myself time to think. What was I to do next? Cyclonis had released her grip on me, at least temporarily, but when she was done with what she wanted, I would be free from my curse. But had I truly wanted to be free from it? I had lived years with my powers and had grown accustomed to feeding into their will. Life would never be the same without them. All the same, I wished to be normal, and to live a fulfilling life with…

Well, whoever still wanted to be with me after all I'd done.

But, if I were to live with my powers, why not enhance them? I remembered the Aurora Stone—the one that was rightfully mine to begin with—and decided just what I was going to do with my free time. After pulling on my cloak, I hid behind the hood and stepped into the diner, planning out just what I wanted to do to retrieve my prize. One thing I had never tried was projection—if Torch could do it, why couldn't I?

Within my booth's walls, I spread out a multitude of scenarios as I saw them play out onto thin air. Had I walked directly into the holding room, talons would've apprehended me and I would've been back in Cyclonis' hair. What if I had teleported into the room? Sure, that might solve the initial guards, but what about the ones within? The only way to escape being seen would've been to never retrieve it in the first place… and that was exactly what I planned to do.

I downed my beer and stepped out into the cold weather, feeling warm and fuzzy. I hugged my arms and brushed the chills away, flitting from the diner to an old, broken bridge just outside of Cyclonia. I could sense the Aurora Stone's energy from there—finding it wouldn't be very hard. I dug a hand under my hood and scratched at my hair. Another wave of depression hit me as I realized my hair was still short. Stealing Cyclonis' pride-and-joy Stone was meant to pay her back for taking my hair, and nothing was going to stop me from getting it back this time.

I dug around in my bag and pulled out a cloaking crystal, hoping it would conceal all evidence of my presence. Once it had turned to dust, I put my plan into action. Surprisingly, although not-so in some ways, none of them could see me. I sighed in relief and followed the power in any direction it pulled me toward. One look upon a rather thick door and I was happy. I pushed myself through the door and smiled. The Aurora Stone, set on a pedestal, sat before me for the taking with incredible ease. Suddenly, just as my hand reached out to take it and run, the three worst nightmares I've ever had walked into the room and ruined _everything._

"I hope to have everything underway within the week… You agree this plan shall shock the Atmos, don't you, Dark Ace?" Cyclonis seethed, grinning at her prize.

I groaned, wanting so badly to pull her life force from her veins through a hand gripped tightly around her neck. Ace looked over, his eyes meeting mine. An absolutely horrifying thought entered my mind, _Can he see me? _I dug down deep into the core of my power for anything I could use quickly and efficiently as a defense. Then, he looked away and simply smiled at Cyclonis, stating he agreed with her thoughts.

Lora sighed. "You're lucky we still have the Stone, as it is. You don't want to know just what I've heard since the Storm Hawks announced its 'recovery.'"

I held my breath—it wasn't a necessary action for me, anyway. I had to stay completely silent. Another look from Ace in my direction made my heart skip a beat. _God, he can see me, can't he? _Cyclonis stepped further and further away from the Stone. It seemed as if I was safe from Cyclonis, but could Ace see me? A seemingly sinister grin crawled on Lora's face as she gazed toward the Stone. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces…"

I watched as Lora and Cyclonis stepped out of the room, while Ace stayed behind, examining the crystal. His boots thudded against the concrete floor, and my heart quickened with each step. I looked down at my hand—still invisible. He couldn't have seen me, or at least, I wanted to convince myself that. Then, as his hand touched the Stone and lifted it up, his other brushed my back. He leaned over to whisper in my ear and said, "You know… we can all see you…" After a kiss on the cheek, he set the Stone down and stepped back out of the room, not another word spoken.

I was petrified. Within a beat of my heart, my skin lost its transparency out of sheer fear. I was absolutely at a loss for words. I couldn't muster up the willpower to move, but I knew I needed to, if only to save my life. With a rush of adrenaline, I gripped the crystal and disappeared, reappearing back onto that broken bridge, waiting for hell to be raised.

Facing Cyclonia, I waited—the crystal in-hand.

"What the _hell_ do you think you were doing in there? You're going to get yourself killed!" I spun around, a blank expression on my face. I was truly dumbfounded. I watched as Lora stepped toward me, her knuckles bright white. "You not only had the gall to come in and take the Stone, but you were _confident_ that no one could see you?"

I stuttered, unable to form words.

"You didn't think that the three most powerful people on Cyclonia couldn't _actually_ see you? Are you too stupid to remember what you did to me? Kai, I am just like you. I may have _very _little control over it, but that doesn't mean I don't have every capability that you do! I can see _right _through any façade you put on! And, oh, that's right! Ace is special too!

"Cyclonis was nice enough to _share_ her gift with him. That means not only can he see you, but so can she! You're lucky she didn't drop you right there! You are so blind!"

"…How did you find me out here?" I managed, shivering with the cold air.

Lora rolled her eyes. "I dropped my bunker key in the holding room, and when I went back to get it, I could see traces of your jump! It just so happens that by touching it, it brought me here. And who did I find on the other end? You! The most ignorant person on the face of the Atmos!"

"_This_ is mine! I found it, and you think you have the right to it because you _stole_ it from me! I'm just trying to get back what was originally mine!"

She scoffed, smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Oh, right, because something you originally took from Cyclonia to begin with is _yours_. I had no idea. Where the hell do you find this logic of yours?"

I backed up, nearing the end of the broken bridge. As my foot slipped off the edge, I stumbled forward. My eyes trailed down toward the clouds and caught something—a lone Talon making his way across Cyclonia. I smiled, looking back at Lora. "You're _not_ getting this back. It's staying where it belongs!" And with my last word, I stepped off the edge and fell through the sky. In a split second, I stuffed the Stone into my bag and dove down, my feet hitting the back of the Talon's SwitchBlade hard. I let out a sharp breath and told him to move over and let me drive.

"Wait, what?" With his question, I gave up and pushed him off the bike anyway.

With my new ride, I rose upward and flew away as quickly as I possibly could. I had officially made myself an enemy of Cyclonia, and possibly all of Atmos. I could feel the Aurora Stone's power pulse from within my bag. I already regretted not bonding with the Stone when I had the chance.

Miles away from Cyclonia with no sign of a tail, I cooled off, idling in the sky while I thought of a new plan of action. I felt anxious. I wanted to be rid of the crystal, in one sense or another. As long as it had a materialistic form, someone would be after me for it. And knowing Cyclonis, she would come up with some way to extract its power from within me. In a sense, with its power, I would be both unstoppable and unable to live a normal life. I had to choose a life on the run, or a life at all. I sighed.

It didn't take long for my fate to catch up with me. "Would you look-y here. Well, boys… We didn't have to go far to find you, now did we? Nice to finally see the face behind Fury…"

I turned around, looking into the face of the leader of the Rex Guardians. I knew what this was. Without Lora and Aerrow to clean up after me, everything had finally caught up with me. They were right, and I was about to pay for everything. "What? Are you serious? This has _got_ to be a fucking joke."

Harrier smiled. "Let's take her in, mates." The others beside him encircled my bike, his eyes never breaking with my own.

I began to look worried before literally dropping out of the sky, all engines turned off. I smiled, knowing it would only take me a second to turn them back on and fly away, out of their grasp. "Suckers!" I shouted, flying away. They weren't far behind me.

For a moment, I almost heard the Stone talking to me, whispering in the ancient language. "Caaas…sussss….," it moaned, its light shining from under the flap of my satchel. "Caaaasusss…. belli…."

Those words seemed so familiar. Then, suddenly, memories flashed before my eyes—my entire childhood, from the day my mother had died until I left the Storm Hawks… The day I took Lora up on her offer to become a neutral party, until the day Ace kissed me. That very day, the very moment his lips touched mine, I could hear those words, "Casus belli…"

I blacked out, lost in the emotion behind Ace's lips. I fell through the sky, longing for the closeness he made me feel, for the love that Ben unconditionally gave. _Ben…_

ooo

I found myself chained behind my back, my head resting on a metal table, locked in a cold room with the lights off. I sighed. Memories clouded my thoughts—memories that seemed foreign, yet so natural. Where were they coming from? Where did I get these tattoos? How the _hell_ could I bend this way and still feel my arms? Who was I?

As the lights flicked on, a man with a folder walked in. "Now, now… What did I do to deserve such a lovely gift?" He plopped down in the seat opposite me and sighed. "I'm Councilman Marx. I suppose its quite the honor meeting you, but I don't know if I can say it's mutual."


	17. She's Still Missing

_No flashback? No kidding…_

_Lora_

I watched from a distance as they picked her up, tossed her onto their skimmers, and flew away, Harrier staying behind to gather up the crystal. That was my chance to regain possession of the Stone and return it to its rightful place—the place Kai _should've_ taken it to. I held down on the throttle and flew toward Harrier. He didn't look too thrilled to see me.

"Well, aren't you the defective Storm Hawk! You and your husband are a perfect match!" he chortled.

"We _aren't_ married…" I reached out for the bag, the one she'd stashed the Stone in, but he quickly pulled it away. "Hand it over. It doesn't belong to you, to any of you!"

"Oh, and you think it belongs with your lot? You Cyclonians are a mess, all of you! This Stone belongs on Atmosia, where it can be observed as one of the natural wonders of the Atmos for all of eternity… Not slobbered on by you bunch of… gobs!"

I could feel the energy burn within my chest. Anger fueled what little control over what power Kai had given me. I wasn't going to be like her, and I wasn't going to give into it. I would never stoop so low. "Give me… the goddamn… Stone!" My hand flew out, gripping onto the collar of his gold-plated uniform.

"W-what's this?" he said, a stunned look on his face. "Oh… oh-oh… It's gonna fall!" he teased, holding the bag of crystals far beyond my reach, dangling it over the clouds below.

"Don't you dare!"

"…Oops…," he breathed, dropping it down.

Now, it was a race to see just who could catch it first. If we wasn't confident it would be lost among the trees of the Atmosian forest below, and that one of us would catch it, he would never have let it go. I gunned my bike, pulling into a nosedive. Harrier was but a heartbeat behind. He had the upper-hand here; he knew where it was going to drop.

His bike was faster, and he flew through the clouds and disappeared before I could even think twice. I pulled the throttle all the way back and prayed. I matched his altitude just moments after he'd caught the bag. Harrier gunned forward and flew off, weaving in and out of the trees. "Come and get me, traitor!"

"With pleasure…" And I knew for a fact that I _was_ a better pilot than a man that followed _The Code_. As I wove between the trees so flawlessly after him, I looked for a straight shot—and there I fought it, an opening between the trees where I would fly uninterrupted and beat him to the chase. As I curved around, Harrier hit the brakes, a solemn look on his face. I ripped the bag from his clutches and smiled. "You can have the rest, I just want the shiny one."

After hanging the bag back onto his handlebars, I flew away. I'd never seen such a powerful crystal up close, let alone held one in my hands. I knew what Kai had felt, and I knew exactly what she'd wanted to do with it. I felt so important… I knew, had I had such a power within my grasp, I wouldn't be so invisible, or unimportant. They would finally listen…

I stashed the crystal and my thoughts, and flew away without another moment wasted. I smiled at Harrier, waving my middle finger in the air behind me. Back above the clouds, I was able to calm myself, flying in silence. Well, not for long.

"Followed you here. I assume it's safe to say the Council got Kai…"

I looked over, noting the odd souvenirs hanging off of the bike. With a smile, I greeted Ace. "I guess you could say that."

"What did Harrier want, anyway? Did Kai get away with the crystal?"

"No," I breathed. "I plan on taking it somewhere safe. I don't intend to tell anyone…"

"I trust you," he said with a grin. "But Cyclonis doesn't."

I nodded, patting the compartment I'd placed the Stone. "She won't have a choice."

"I'll see you back home, Love." He reached over, expecting a kiss.

I could smell Kai's stench all over him. This wasn't the first time, either. "You're a little too close with Kai, you know that?" I turned away, denying him.

He cleared his throat, gripping his handlebars. "You think, after all the trouble I went through to get you back, that I'd do something stupid with someone ten years younger than me?" He could never lie to me. His hands were constantly readjusting themselves on the hand grips, his foot was kicking the gearshift.

I sighed. "I don't want to know about it… I'm just going to pretend I trust you."

On the way to my destination alone, my mind was buzzing. As my tires hit the landing strip, I could see they were already aware of my presence. I pulled out the Stone and stepped toward the door, kicking it open.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked, confronting me at the doorway.

"I don't have time to deal with you. Where's Aerrow?"

"He's in recovery. What do you want?" Her arms rested across her chest, a stern look on her face.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to hear your sob story; I want to speak with him _now_." When her eyes trailed down to my hand and what was in it, she froze. "Yeah. _Now_." Trudging from beyond the hallway, a blanket wrapped tightly around him, Aerrow looked up, questioning what was going on. "I have a present for you."

"Unless you're coming back, I don't think I'm interested." He didn't sound sick, but the look on his face—the dark circles around his eyes, the pale and pasty skin complexion, his red nose and swollen eyes—said it all. The worst part was how little sympathy I felt for him.

I held up the Stone sarcastically.

The blanket dropped to the floor, but it still took him quite a while to reach my position. "You… you're just giving it to us?"

"Kai stole it… She's been captured by the Council. I just thought you'd like to know."

His cold, frail hands wrapped around the Stone. "I never… never thought I'd get to see another one in person… Lora…" He pawned off the crystal on Piper while he wrapped his arms around me.

"You have some serious personal issues, you know that?" I groaned, pushing him off of me. "Listen, I'm not coming back, nor have I ever considered it. I _hate_ it here! You guys are the worst bunch of people to ever call yourselves a squadron!"

"He doesn't deserve this!" Piper interjected. "All he's ever done is try to love someone that never deserved it, and all you ever did was shove it back in his face! He's spent the last two months in the hospital!"

"It's not my problem if Aerrow can't handle a little shouting!"

Aerrow stood there, rubbing his eyes.

"You're so ignorant! He did nothing but care about you regardless of how much of a bitch you became! He may have issues because his father didn't love him enough, or wasn't there enough, but you're just down-right cold-hearted!"

Finn walked in, a bandage around both his head and his eye. I wanted to scream. The only reason I'd felt sympathetic for Finn was because his injury was not my fault—it was Aerrow's. How dare he do such a thing to someone he considered a friend?

"You know what? I can't do this. Take your goddamn crystal, but I want _nothing_ to do with any of you ever again. Don't come to me asking for your help, don't come to me when your squadron falls apart… If you ever show up in my life again, I won't hesitate to kill any of you. I don't care what kind of trouble I get in for putting a bullet in you, Aerrow. I don't want to see you again."

ooo

At home, I plopped myself onto the couch, relaxing beside the pot-bellied furnace. Hugging a pillow against my chest, I dwelled within my thoughts. Ace sat beside me, a cup of tea in his hands. "You doing all right?" he asked. We'd been together for almost a year, now. Two months after the incident on the Condor, Kai disappeared; Ace said she'd gone to reconcile some issues with her past. For three months, she'd disappeared—to where, I was never quite sure. They never kept me in the loop on the Glockenchime incident. Sure, Ace came home, but she never did.

Ben had a hell of a time accepting the excuses we gave him. No matter what, though, that boy stuck by her and stood loyal. He asked of her every day. He loved her with all of his heart.

The day she came back, they tossed her in the cells. She looked so different with her haircut. Cyclonis bragged on and on about breaking her in, wrecking her spirit—lot of good that did. It took Cyclonis another four months to break her in, before bending her to her will. Nine months later, here we are…

I leaned against Ace, my skin crawling with chills. "Depression is a bitch."

"Eh. You're fine." Moments later, he burned himself with his tea before setting it down on the table. "Plenty of ways to rid yourself of depression…"

"Ah-hah… I'm sure…" I nuzzled my face against the pillow, watching the flames lick the air.

Ace pulled the pillow from my arms and threw it across the room. "You're _fine_. Stop bitching and do what normal people do when they're depressed."

"I'm not like you—I can't drink away my problems. I just choose to ignore them and hope they go away."

He pushed his tea just a little bit further across the table, turning to face me. "Is there anything I can do to take your mind off of it…?" His hand rested on my thigh, his other reaching toward my face. I gave in and kissed him back, climbing over him on the couch. I couldn't resist—he was the only person that made me feel important, even after all these years. Even through everything he's done… I still loved him.

His hands ran over my shirt, helping me remove it. With my hands locked tightly onto his hair, I smiled through the kiss. His hands against my skin made my heart race. I felt like I couldn't breathe—I was more in love than I had ever thought…

I laid down on the couch, pulling him over with me. He began to unbutton his shirt just as we heard a noise at the door. His eyes shot to the doorknob. "It's nothing. Probably just some Talon kids…" Then, the door opened itself.

Ben stepped through—his eyes red, his hands shaking. He was wrapped tightly in a warm coat, but his pajama bottoms told a much more disheartening story. "D-don't bother," he muttered, watching as I reached for my shirt. "I don't care what you're doing. I…" he paused, kicking the door shut behind him. "I just heard Kai was caught by the Council…"

Ace sat up, buttoning his shirt. "She can handle herself, Ben."

I began to regret telling Ben he was welcome over whenever he'd pleased. I grasped my shirt and pulled it over my head, standing up to help the kid out. It had been way too long—he hadn't heard anything about Kai since she'd disappeared nearly seven months ago. I'd only begun to imagine how hard it must've been on him.

I tugged on his arm and pulled him into the living room, hanging up his coat for him. I handed him Ace's tea—who stood there, whining like a child. Ben sat on the couch. "Have you guys heard anything else? I… I'm so worried…"

"You're too sucked into this relationship. I mean, you're with someone who won't even admit you're together and you've already given your heart and soul?" Ace laughed mockingly. "Give it up, kid. She's probably abandoned you for someone with more power than a lowly talon…"

I gave him a cold stare. "I don't care what you two did, if anything. He deserves some closure, at the very least."

"What's wrong with you, Ben?" Ace asked with a laugh. "Kai is a bitch and always has been. She won't ever change."

"Sounds like someone I know," I told Ace. "If I know Kai… As much as I hate her, I know how she acts. She will be back for you, I guarantee it."

"Wouldn't she have come back if she… if she cared?"

"What about her little rendezvous with Aerrow?" Ace mouthed silently. I shook my head, my eyes wide.

Ben sighed. "She's smart… She'll get herself out of it and come home… Right?"

I sat beside him, an arm around him. "I'm almost sure of it. She loves you, and if you showed her even half of the emotion we've seen while she's been gone, I'm sure she'll come back for you. Kai is a sucker for attention—you're her perfect match." He leaned against me. I looked up at Ace, looking for a way out.

Ace shook his head, his hands up in confusion.

"Look, Ben… Just get some rest, all right? Kai will be back before you know it…"

He nodded and sipped at the tea before standing up. He took his coat off the hook and tossed it over his shoulders before walking out the door, taking his sorrow with him.

Ace let out a held breath. "Damn… Being around him makes your problems seem like nothing." He sat back down brushing his hair back into its upward position. As I watched him, a grin crawling on my face. His eyes caught my own after a moment and he froze, his hands still by his hair. "What?" he asked, slightly confused.

My smile grew as I launched myself onto him, resuming where we left off.


	18. Soul Mate

_Kai_

Where were these memories coming from? Why was he accusing me of all this? My hearing wasn't lying—and neither was he. His breathing never changed, and his heart rate stayed constant. If he wasn't lying, and neither was I, was there really truth in anything either of us were saying?

The man rested his palms against the table's surface, his head hanging low as he sighed, frustrated. "Let's pretend for one moment that every bit of information I have on you is wrong, and everything you know is right. Where did you come up with the name Fury?"

"Besides the obvious bottled rage?" I laughed. "My necklace. It's a Fury crystal—I found it rummaging through the Bazaar when I left the Storm Hawks."

"Finally some truth in this matter. Now that we're getting somewhere…" His smile grew as he took a seat across from me. "Listen, Kai. I'm not here to make your life hell. You do that well enough on your own. To be damn honest, I want to get anything I can out of you and get the hell out of here. I have a family, I have a life, and a job that, unfortunately, involves postponing the former two to waste my time with you.

"Point is, the faster we get this over with, the faster we both can get out of here. Now, that's not to say you'll get off scot-free. I mean, it's entirely a possibility. You have enough information on Cyclonia to satisfy the council. Too bad news of your capture has reached Cyclonia or we'd offer a deal—inside information from an ongoing informant. But… since that's not a possibility, we'll have to deal with the information you have.

"Assuming you're not bullshitting… and from your utter confusion and that stupid look on your face, I highly doubt what you call memories are true—at least in your mind. If I had any way to restore your memories to coincide with the _facts_ that we have, both our lives would get easier."

I smiled. "You actually want to help me…?"

"Yes."

"And you're not just bullshitting to get information out of me like the dirty cop you should be?"

He laughed at my implications. "I'm not here to drill any sort of torture tactics into you. However, the bonds are not my decision. You and I both know that I can't be the good guy—that one cop who lets the bad guy off easy because of pity, or whatever movie crap you're into. But I'm willing to fight for you… legally…"

That's when I woke up. My eyes shot open—I could see my markings crawl with a wave of light. This change didn't faze the lawman as my skin had been periodically crawling with crystal power throughout the entire interrogation. But this time, he wouldn't know what exactly had found its way home. My old memories swirled around my mind, both good and bad.

"You see, that's where you and I differ…." I laughed malevolently. "You're a pig—a cop looking for any excuse to write me up and put me away. However… I'm an outlaw. I'm willing to _do_ anything to see you _burn_. I don't care what kind of good cop routine you're putting on me. You're not getting any of the information you need. I know what I've told you, but to be _fucking_ honest, none of the shit you've heard will help you put away any of the people you're after. The Dark Ace will always be untouchable. Aerrow will always be my bitch. Lora will always be _just_ stubborn enough to undermine Cyclonia in twenty-four hours, if she so chooses.

"The kind of people you're messing with… You have no idea what you're getting into. Aerrow is a good man, but he will defy any law to save not only _my_ life, but the lives of the innocent that you're slowly corrupting. Lora, as much as she hates me, has a strong connection with my only ally. If I took him down, she would come with him. You get it yet? Mess with me, you mess with the worst of them. We are outlaws, Mr. Marx. You will _never_ be able to untangle the tight weave we've created. We are a network—cut one of us down and we all come after you. You want to live? I suggest you go home and never look back. You'll be lucky if I let you out of this room alive…"

My wrists burned through the bonds behind me, so I was quick to put them on the table before him simply to prove a point. Rubbing my hands on my now bond-free skin, I smiled. "Now are you going to make this easy, or am I going to make this _very_ difficult?"

He smiled. "Welcome back, Fury."

ooo

Now that I was free and able to explore more than the world around me, I spent a lot of time thinking, visiting times in my past I found worthwhile. There were so many things I wished for the ability to change. I knew, however, had I changed anything many years prior, I would've missed out on a lot. As troubling as my life may have been, I would be giving up a lot of enjoyable memories to save the life that never was.

I spent a lot of time in Saharr, watching a young Aerrow train himself into the ground, coming out bloody and broken. I watched in silence, unable to approach for fear of eliminating my future. I would cry, seeing the boy I'd so easily thrown away. He was my toy, and when I got tired of him, I did what any other child would do.

Other nights I spent time in the Cyclonian Academy, decorated to the nines in armor meant to keep integrity within the walls. I would hang by my knees from the bridge a dear friend once hung from by the neck. I would watch as she passed quietly below me, carrying trays of plates, or buckets of blood-tinged water. How many deaths had the seen…?

How many had she cleaned up?

I would listen to Elle sing as I hung from the bridge. Her quiet harmonies flowed from the bunker. How many kids had she soothed? How many children had she watched wither into nothing—from innocent to the corrupted? How many therapy sessions had she given to the unwilling, the trapped, and the neglected?

One night, I gave in. In a flash I flipped downward from the bridge, landing on my own feet in my own time. Flitting from the Cyclonian school to my own time, I tore open the drawers in my bunker, searching for paper and anything to write with. I sat down and began to write my heart out.

I wrote everything I knew. I explained who I was and how Elle and I met. I wrote about my future, and just exactly what I could do. I explained—in Laymen's terms—how I managed to time travel, how I managed to do just about everything that made me, me. I wrote how dear a friend I considered Elle. I wrote how the event of her death sparked a controversy within my veins, and how it evidently put my life into a downward spiral—not because of her death, but because there was nothing I could have done worse.

Truth was, as many years that had passed since I left the Storm Hawks, I still felt like that child that fell in love with Aerrow. I hadn't changed—maybe I'd grown a bit ballsier, a bit more insensitive—I was still Kai beneath it all.

I folded the letter in half, then again in fourths, writing the present date in small numbers in the upper left corner. Unfolding it, I tacked the old picture of Elle and her family to the corner and refolded it, hoping that it would all stay in on piece on my journey.

As I stood up and left the bunker, Ben rolled over. Delayed yes, but the boy responded to the noise. "W-what's going on…?"

"Be quiet," I told him.

"Where the hell have you been?" He quickly sat up. Through the moonlight, I could see how dark his eyes were, how drenched his skin was, and how unkempt he had become. Suddenly, I realized the problem I'd created. How long _had_ I been gone? How long did they have me locked up in that damned room? Food… I was fed (quite well); I was kept comfortable with the exception of a hard chair and bondage… The days blurred after four. I may have had my memories back, but I was—from my freedom onward—never quite sure how long they kept me locked up.

But before that, Cyclonis made it _very_ hard to discern time in that cell. And even before that? How long was I in the past? What date did I return?

"W-what happened to your hair?" Ben's voice tore me from my worries.

"Council got me… You happy now? Go back to dreaming about… jacking off to my picture, I don't know," I told him as I gripped the bunker door. I looked at the lump lying on my bed, wondering if leaving him hanging like that was such a good thing. He held a soft spot in my heart—evidently the only soft spot—and I couldn't help but feel weak around him. Even if I felt sex would make everything better—it usually did; he never questioned me after—he didn't seem to mind.

And with the thought of his tear-soaked face, I began to worry. No matter how long I had been gone, he stuck by me, and that I loved him for more than anything. I set down my things and tore off my armor, sitting on the bed. His arms latched around me tighter than any other hug I've ever received. "You don't know how worried I was about you… Kai, I thought you had died…"

I tried to pry him off and get a little breathing room between us, but only moments later I retreated to his warm embrace, pulling him into a fit of passion. It didn't take long to find ourselves under the covers, our clothes strewn somewhere across the room. I leaned my head back as he nuzzled against my neck, smiling. Oh, I missed the feeling of his skin against mine so much. He pulled me into another kiss and pushed my hair out of my eyes, smiling. "I never thought I'd sit around waiting for someone for seven months—someone I'm not even sure loves me as much as I love her."

I gritted my teeth. Hearing seven months sounded like such a long time. I felt so guilty—how could I have left him there for seven months without word one of my wellbeing? I ran my fingers through his hair, hoping that everything we did now would make up for those months of neglect.

Ben smiled, pulling out of the kiss. "I want to be with you, Kai."

"Don't go all mushy on me, now, you'll ruin the moment." I tried to kiss him again but he leaned out of the way.

He shook his head. "No, I'm serious, Kai… I've never loved anyone else more than I have loved you."

"I… I don't…"

"Marry me."

I froze, several questions running through my mind.

"I-I mean, I'm not Ace. I don't get paid well, and I don't have much power…"

I shook my head, looking away. "But you couldn't be more perfect for me." I could see him pause for a moment, trying to discern my answer from my words. And as I saw the smile peer out from the corner of my eye, I was pulled into a kiss, which continued through to our original intent. Sleeping with Ben never felt so… right.


	19. Life and Death

_Kai_

Half asleep and entirely spent, Ben rolled over on the bed, giving me a place to sit while I dressed for the day. I could feel a wave of awkward silence walk over the room, insecurity tying knots in my chest. I ran my fingers through my hair, still getting used to its new length. As Ben tried to roll back over and pull me into bed, I shoved him back and he groaned, "Yeah, yeah, love you too," he muttered into the pillow.

I rubbed my necklace between my fingers, feeling the empty space where Torch once called home. I missed him, yes, but I would've done anything to be one hundred-percent independent from Lora. It killed me to know that a part of me—a part of the crystal energy that used to course through my veins—was now trapped within the she-devil Talon… within the grasp of Cyclonia. Sure, Cyclonia wasn't all bad. Hell, I allied up with them here and there. But knowing Lora, the grudge she held against me, and the grip she held on Ace, what exactly could she use against me? Against the Storm Hawks? The Atmos…?

That's when I jumped, the ground moving suddenly behind me. Heavily clad in the Academy's armor, I was undetectable. My heart jumped as Elle crossed paths with me. I'd returned to that same night, just moments before I'd left prior. Her golden eyes followed my every move, and I turned my head to watch her walk away.

"Morning, Friend!" she giggled, giving me a soft salute before juggling to catch the falling tray of dishes. She was always so nice…

I blinked, a mere thought freezing time around me. Thoughts swirled—I couldn't help myself. I wanted so desperately to bring her back with me. What kind of future would I have if I were to change this moment in time? I closed my eyes, sighing. It was no use—screwing up the incident at the academy would _never _bring a good outcome. What harm would it do to the future had I introduced myself? How many do-overs would I get before even the past rewrites itself? One fatal slip-up and I could disappear, or even be stuck in a time I wasn't meant to be in.

That's when I realized what needed to be done in order to create an equal outcome.

Time began to flow naturally once more, and I followed after Elle. I needed to change the past just enough to save my future…

Suddenly, without my interference, Elle tripped. The plates in the grey tray went flying, shattering on the ground in an earsplitting crash. Elle fell to her knees, her palms on the dirty kitchen tile. Tears dripped to the ground yet Elle stayed silent. I was quickly by her side.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, reaching out for the shards of glass. I knelt down before her, grasping her hand. My frightening appearance—scars, tattoos, and glowing eyes—caught her off guard. With a smile—and confidence through her stifled tears—she laughed momentarily. "You're a strange one. Listen, I'll get this cleaned up real quick. You can take the cost out of my pay. I swear, it won't take me long…"

I laughed, pulling off my hood. The armor, although not entirely heavy, was inconvenient, and made me look like a fool had I not been in Cyclonian company. "Elle, it's okay."

"Hm… So finally someone knows my name!" she beamed. "A-am… are… are you guys finally thinking to let me go home?"

I looked at her sideways. "Your mother said you never returned home when given the chance."

Suddenly, her eyes turned cold. "When did you visit my family?"

I sighed, quickly turning to pick up the dishes to avoid a fight… one that, if I stayed in character, could quickly put an end to her life. An end I would rather not reverse. "I'm not here because I'm some Cyclonian guard. Elle…," I sighed once more, setting the shards in the tray before fishing the letter from my pocket. "You should really read this… I couldn't say it any better out loud."

Elle wiped her hands of blood before taking the note from me. When her eyes caught the photograph contained within, she grew shocked. Her gaze perfectly traced my messy penmanship, her lips mouthing words she couldn't believe were truth. I continued to clean up the mess as she read, hoping that if the mess was gone before anyone else showed up, I could get Elle to a more secluded area. Had I been caught, leaving wouldn't be so easy.

She covered her mouth, fresh blood coating her cheek. "Th-this… this can't be true…"

"You better believe it. I'd prove it to you myself, but I'm afraid if I were to take you away from this time and place, my future would cease to exist, simply because of one moment in time you didn't exist."

Her hands fell to her lap. Her eyes stared blankly off, as if she were looking through me. Flicking gently from one place to the next, she tried to take it all in.

"Good news is, I'm still here, which means none of this affects my future, or yours."

"You're not lying… are you…?"

I shook my head. "Honestly, Elle, and don't you _dare_ take this the wrong way… but who on Atmos would ever waste their time coming up with such an elaborate lie when it involved someone with a low rank like yours… unless you meant a hell of a lot to them…?"

She watched me closely. "Kai… I… I've done so much for this place… You don't understand how… horrifying it is to hear they'd end up killing me because of _you._ What makes you think I should listen to you, follow everything you say… when I know I'm going to end up hanging by my _neck_ because of it?"

"You have to trust me…"

Elle looked down at the shards of glass, the silent tears becoming more evident. "You're familiar with Cyclonia… right?"

I nodded. "I may be fourteen this year… but when I'm nineteen, I'm allied with many forces both Cyclonian and Sky Knight."

"What are you?"

"Freelancer?" I laughed, shrugging. "I'm an outlaw. I do what I can to get paid."

"Why… me?"

"You were the one person who didn't care about how I looked…" I shook my head, remembering I was disguised by the Chroma crystal, not marked up with crystal energy. Not just yet, at least. "How many people have you met with white hair, even at my age?" I smiled. "I was different, regardless. You didn't care. I don't know if it was because of some weird timeline where I'd visited you before with a different outcome, and we'd come to the conclusion that you'd help me… God, this is confusing. Listen, it looks better on paper."

Through the tears, she smiled. "I trust you, Kai. How can I help?"

ooo

Having been there long enough, Elle was familiar with all of the blind spots, all of the escape routes, and all of the places the guards never bothered to mess with. I offered to get her off the academy grounds, but she worried about how much of history we were already messing with. That's when I got the brilliant idea to freeze everything around us. At least, for however long it took to work up a flawless plan.

"I don't want to tell you everything," I stated, almost wishing there weren't any consequences. Nothing had changed—I was still me, I was still there, and I was still breathing. How long did I have, though, before my time in _this_ time ran out? Before staying there would compromise history?

Rewriting history is simple so long as no one important dies in place of the target—the _someone _that was supposed to. However, it wasn't as simple as that. Replacing a target with someone insignificant meant finding someone of their exact body type, exact weight, and, if they died in view of the general public, their exact twin.

Knowing her brother was missing in battle—sadly, an incident I couldn't rewrite without ruining every instance up to my present time—finding her twin, albeit her brother lacked in the feminine department, would be entirely impossible. So, replacing the target seemed unlikely.

"What if… what if you were to stop my death and wait? Come to my future and take me back to a moment before they were supposed to kill me and _not_ interrupt it…?"

I cocked my head to the side.

"…Yeah, I know I confused myself."

I sighed. "No, that's not it. If I were to prevent your death, would my capture still take place? How many obstacles would I have to go through in order to prevent _your _capture without interrupting _mine_? Plus… say it all went okay, and I still ended up the way I am… If I were to take you from your future, and allow you to die in the past, I highly doubt you would still stand beside me, no matter what year I take you to."

"…Still confused."

"Good concept, however it's impossible to put into play."

"Well… what's our only option then? You seem to know what you're doing well enough to not waste my time… unless you had a plan to begin with."

"I have a plan… but I can't tell you what it is."

"Can you tell me anything?"

"You will be hung in a week."

That's when Elle broke down. I couldn't tell her my plan. It could compromise the integrity. What if she thought she was going to live? Would she still call out to me in the crowd, warning me to run? Would she fight back during her capture? She would be more alert, knowing everything that would come next. I couldn't interrupt anything until her final moments.

I couldn't tell her anything.

I left Elle to her own devices, watching her reactions when she didn't _have_ to hold up a strong front. Elle cried. She laid down and cried until the sun rose. The morning Finn and I arrived, I followed Elle to the comm. Room, listening closely to her radio call.

"Mom… Mom I want to go home… Mom if I can't… Mom I would rather die than live here!"

I looked down. As depressing as the call was, I was happy. I remembered the conversation Elin and I had when returning Elle's remaining belongings. "… _Elle had called in a week prior to the murder and said she couldn't take it anymore and wanted out, but they wouldn't let her leave. She said if an opportunity didn't come soon, she would… she would take her own life…_"

This brought several other scenarios into my mind. Had this meant that I'd visited her on an alternate timeline? Why hadn't I saved her life before? What… if I had…?

That's when my plan changed. Flawlessly, I constructed a plan and played it out in my mind. Although it would take ingenuity and perfect timing… it was possible that Elle didn't have to die… And it was entirely possible that she never died to begin with. The only obstacle I could run into would be myself—running into a paradox in time where I exist at my own age, from the future, in the past… playing out the entire plan identically. I prayed to the ancestors that it wouldn't happen, and if it had… it wouldn't rip a hole in the continuity of Atmos itself.

"I… I can't rely on the friend I have here," Elle continued through my musings. Was she talking about me? "I… Mom if something doesn't come up soon… I would rather kill myself than endure this hell any longer…"

That's when I left. Everything, as sad as it was, was going according to plan. I could leave right now and my life in the future would be exactly the same. So I did. I left to get some rest, and promised myself to come back when interaction and interference was necessary.

Back home, I had to confront Ben. What had he really meant when he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me? Did he truly intend to marry me? The thought alone shoved butterflies down my throat. I never thought I would end up with someone—not after Aerrow, not after everything I'd put him through. It could've been the fact that I thought, if anyone, I would end up with Storm Boy that was throwing me through a loop. Maybe I couldn't physically see me with anyone but Aerrow? After having been with Aerrow, however, I knew that relationship was done-for the moment it began, and the only person I truly belonged with was Ben…

But the thought of marriage sent chills up my spine. I didn't like the word, the thought of a ceremony, or the fact that my name would be on a legal document. Last time I signed my name was to get my pilot's license, and it's haunted me ever since.

I climbed into his desk chair, pulling my knees to my chest. He watched me from the bathroom door, his hair wet and dripping from his recent shower. He shot me a smile and said, "I'll assume the fact that you came back means you don't think I'm insane…"

I nodded. "I thought about leaving."

He walked back into the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel, laughing quietly to himself. "You're funny."


	20. Misguided

For the longest time I found myself wondering how I would pull it off. Everything had to be perfect! One screw up and I would lose the very last chance I had at getting my friend back. To be honest, I saw Elle playing a major role in my life. Had she not been there and gone, I would be an entirely different person. I would likely still be with the Storm Hawks, Aerrow would still have his sanity, and I wouldn't have met the love of my life.

I wondered if Ace and Lora would be together had it not been for that defining moment. Her death still haunted my dreams.

I closed my eyes and imagined it all. I didn't have the luxury of actual outcomes, but the pain alone felt real enough.

Ben pulled me from my thoughts, setting a bowl of what looked like oatmeal before me. "I know you've been sitting there all night… Thought you might like something to eat."

I flinched and poked at the food with my spoon. "I didn't even hear you get up."

"You seem preoccupied with something terrible."

I shrugged. "Life is a bitch, I'm just oaring up shit creek right now." I knew he was just being considerate in asking, but I wanted to tell him. He had no idea what transpired at the academy those years prior—but it was important to me… Elle was important to me. "I'm going to be gone for a few days. I have to visit an old friend."

"Just don't say a few days and be gone another seven months, okay? I'd like to know if I have to move out!"

ooo

My mind kept drawing back to the replacement idea. How could I replace her with someone else and keep everyone from suspicion? I knew a mask wouldn't work—they would dispose of the body later and find out it wasn't her… Then, I smiled. I knew replacing her would be no different than any of the other plans. Had they found out she'd been switched, how angry could they be? It's not like much would've changed.

I took the thought into consideration and decided to go ahead with it. I had to think—whose life was I willing to sacrifice in good conscience? I felt I could ask around and kill off someone willing to die, but I would be guilt-ridden. I had to choose someone that deserved it, willing or not.

I laughed malevolently as I considered replacing her with Ace… "Too bad I need the unfortunate bastard." There was no one close to me I could've used. I didn't even remotely know anyone that would fit the part.

I pulled my gloves off of the desk and wiggled my fingers into them. I could hear Ben fumbling around in the kitchen and it got me thinking about my time back at the academy. Ace had taken me to Cyclonia, and he had run into several Talons there… Including a young man named Ben. He seemed rather confused at the time, unsure of who he was and why he was a Talon, but mysteriously compelled to continue working for Cyclonis. He wasn't your typical Talon, but something was definitely strange about him. He may have lost his confusion, but it seemed he'd never wanted to be a Talon to begin with.

I pulled on my boots, leaving them unlaced. My eyes scanned the surface of the desk before looking around the room. "Ben, do you remember about six years ago… Back when you were probably just starting out as a talon? Do you ever remember meeting me?"

"Mmm…," Ben contemplated for a moment, still digging around in the kitchen. "You know, I don't remember much from back then… Come to think of it, life before Cyclonia is… pretty much a blur. Not like it matters much. My family abandoned me. So not worth the emotions!" Ben faked a little cry before laughing. "Don't think too much on it."

"There's gotta be some reason why I love you, Ben, and it sure isn't because of your humor!"

"Oh, ha-ha. Very funny, Kai!"

I quietly laced up my shoes and contemplated that day's plan of attack. "You wanna go visit some inmates?"

"Sky knight prisoners or Cyclonian?"

I laughed. "Aren't they the same?"

He sighed. "I mean real criminals, or the Sky Knights that Talons lock up?"

I shook my head and smiled. "I shouldn't be gone long," I told him, hesitating. I hadn't yet perfected returning from the past. Sometimes I would come back just as I had left, other times I came back days or weeks later. It wasn't a perfect science—it was still confusing.

"Do you need a ride?"

ooo

I couldn't risk Ben getting too close. A few miles outside of the prison walls, we said our goodbyes and I promised to come home soon. I covered up with my cloak and stepped around a crack in a large bridge. There was no hiding here—I was a visitor, and there was nothing suspicious about that, right? I took in a deep breath and sighed, stepping up to the gate.

"State your purpose!" The guard demanded, shoving his blade in the direction of the gate.

"Uh… heh… Is there a purpose for being alive?" I cleared my throat. "I'm here to visit an old friend."

"People don't come here often to visit old friends. We are not expecting visitors! What is the cellmate's name?"

I smiled, pulling my hood from my head. "Araleus. Trust me, he's the only one with that name."

The guard seemed shocked by my request. "No one ever visits Xander."Hesitantly, he lifted his blade and opened the gate. "I shall show you to him. Peter, keep watch." He ushered me through the large wrought iron gate, across an unstable bridge, and into the prison. This was an ordinary prison, but for that reason, it was unorthodox. There were Cyclonian prisons and Sky Knight prisons—this was unsanctioned, and took in criminals that deserved to be put away for what they have done and not who they teamed up with. For that reason, I was here looking for Araleus.

Inside the prison, the air was thick, the muggy atmosphere sticking to my skin. I tugged at the ties on my cloak and put it away into my bag.

"Keep your hands with you—you may lose them."

He pulled open a thick steel door and through it came an uproar of hoots and hollers. Men of all different shapes, sizes, colors, ages, races, and backgrounds shared cells of uniformity. Looking down, there were floors of cells until my eyes were lost in darkness. Bridges and walkways intersected below me, aiding the guards in moving around. I sighed. "You guys get a lot of walking done every day, eh?"

"I suppose you've never been here before," he said, his voice raised above the thundering cells. "Stay close."

We crossed a bridge over the many—what seemed like an endless amount—of floors below us. I was led into a room surrounded by dark glass and stone, and roughly asked to sit down. I watched bim leave before setting into my chair. It was uncomfortably similar to the holding cell the Council had tossed me in. My wrists and neck ached from the thought of my restraints. The difference with this room was I could hear beyond the walls—their chanting grew louder before suddenly dropping off into silence. I wondered if it was too late to back out.

A young man was tossed into the room, bonded hands against his back. The guard shoved him into the chair opposing me and chained his wrists to the table. The guard shut the door behind him, standing close by should anything go wrong.

The man smiled, his face close to the table. A wry laugh escaped his lungs as he sat up, scooting his chair closer to the table. "It's been a while, Fury. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Remember when we last met?"

"Yeah, it's the day you shoved me into this hellhole." He leaned forward and scratched at the scar under his right eye.

I smiled. "You saved my life, so I saved yours. You remember telling me if I ever felt like it, I owed you a favor?" I stood from my chair and waltzed around the room, stopping behind his chair.

He nodded, trying to remember his exact words.

"You remember what that favor was?" Silence overtook the room and the lights suddenly flickered. My skin crawled with energy.

_BANG!_

The lights popped and shattered as Araleus' head slammed down against the metal table. The guards piled in, but they were moments too late.

ooo

I poked at the fire before me, listening to the sounds of the surrounding creatures. Nature was such an enjoyable experience, if and when I chose to take a break from it all and relax. The sounds of large cicadas shrilling in the distance, birds and buzzards calling out amongst the trees. I pulled my cloak over my legs and continued to poke at the fire with a stick.

Araelus rolled over in the dirt, unconscious since the incident in the prison. I could still hear the sirens wailing from two Terras over. They would stop at nothing to look for him, considering just how dangerous the young man was. "God damn…," he groaned, holding his forehead. "Where the hell am I?"

"Tranqua," I said quietly. "Try not to move too much or make too much noise. There are a lot of dangerous creatures awake at this time of night."

"How the… hell?" Through his confusion, a grin crawled on his face. It was gone in a moment when he realized who he was with. "You bailed me out."

"I _busted_ you out, there's a difference."

"You could've busted my skull!"

I smiled. "What else could I have done? Leave you conscious and spoil my trade secrets of a grand escape?"

"You're supposed to share these secrets with your comrades…" He struggled upward and sat facing toward the fire. "My head is pounding…"

I tapped my stick in the dirt before setting it down. I leaned toward Araleus, who flinched away from me, and placed a hand on his forehead. "You might feel a bit cold…"

As I removed my hand, his replaced it, feeling around his skin. "You were always a strange one, Fury." Araleus brushed the dirt off of his clothes, relaxing in the warmth of the fire. "You said you were repaying a favor…" A wave of depression crawled over him as he fiddled with the grass beside him.

"I have a friend in need, and you're just about her size."

He scratched his scalp, his dark hair ruffling around. "After what I did to you, you took my request seriously?"

"You're not the first person that's saved my life, Xander. In fact, you're not the first person that's saved my life that I've despised. I currently work with the other one…" I tossed a rock into the fire. "What I'm trying to say is, my life may have turned to shit since I was a child, but I'm trying to right the few wrongs that I can. You asked of me a favor? I'm willing to repay it."

"How does the Dark Ace feel about you working with me?"

I laughed. "You're not the first Sky Knight that has gone rogue."

He nodded, looking around our small campsite. "I assume this means you haven't figured out how to kill me, yet."

I shook my head. "Yes and no. I'm in a bit of a predicament. I'm trying to fit you into a large puzzle, and you're not exactly the right piece." He asked that I elaborate. "There's an old friend of mine that's going to die, and I want you to take her place. She was innocent and she died because of me. There's nothing I can do to change my past, but I figure, why not bring her into my future?"

"Whoa, did something change while I was out of the game?" He shook his head, confused. "You said _died_, right? If I'm not mistaken, you can't exactly bring people back to life!"

"Well… Would you rather I showed you what I mean instead?" I stood up and reached for his hand, helping him to his feet. As we looked back toward the fire, our surroundings changed. The tranquil surroundings of the Terra disappeared, a barren cliff replacing it. A large carrier ship hung in the distance—SwitchBlades swarming it like flies in the distance.

"Do you remember that ship?"

His eyes grew wide as a breath caught in his throat. He knew the Storm Hawks' old ship well. He spent many months as a child following their every mission in the newspapers. "I dreamed of becoming one of them. Working alongside Striker! What a dream that was, eh? Then, one day, I went to get a newspaper and saw the tragic news… 'Storm Hawks' frontman M.I.A.' I felt like, if Lightning Strike could fall at the hands of someone so young and misguided, what's the point of being a Sky Knight?"

I laughed. "If you only knew."

"I put myself through the rest of the Academy and found myself a spot on a new squadron. I couldn't take it. The squad leader and I came to blows… I killed the entire team." Araleus looked at me. "That's not the current Storm Hawk ship, is it?"

I shook my head. "Aboard that ship is none other than Lightning Strike, himself; his co-pilot, Ace Jefferson; the carrier pilot, Maara; sharpshooter, Joe; strategist, Kale, the arms' man, Leum; and good-old Torch… or V2, was it?"

Araleus looked at me. "That list seems a bit short…"

I turned to match his gaze. "The other one? You shouldn't know about any other one… She's not on the ship," I stated. "This is the day the Storm Hawks were taken down…" I looked behind me, watching as young Lora gazed into the clouds. Her face was soaked with tears. "She can't see us."

Araleus looked behind him, examining her armor's insignia. "She was a Storm Hawk? I never heard of her… never seen her picture…"

"She was always meant to be a secret." I watched as she stepped forward, beside us, toward the edge of the cliff.

"She's beautiful," Araleus admired. "Why is she crying?"

"She was in love with the Dark Ace before he was who he is now."

Through the clouds came a dark figure, landing on the cliff before us. He looked toward Lora, beyond us. The bloodstains on his uniform were horrific.

Araleus grasped onto my hand and said, "Let's go. We don't belong here."

I watched young Ace disappear before us, some level of curiosity peering through. I wanted to know the real story behind what Lora did to him for it all. I wanted to know whose side was true… "I'm sorry you had to see that. I didn't know… I didn't think she was there."

Araleus nodded. "So, tell me about this friend of yours."

ooo

"Sorry about your hair, and the uniform," I said with a laugh, ruffling his now-blond hair.

Araleus growled, "You're damn lucky this is for a good cause. I'd rather die than look like this. This is such a ridiculous uniform…"

My laugh grew quiet. "I might just make that wish come true… I will give you thirty minutes to say your goodbyes and come to terms with your regrets; then, I shall be back for you." As Araleus nodded in agreement, I flitted off, my surroundings changing to that of the Academy. It was much too early for the students to be up and about, but I knew who was awake. Without a single thought, I disappeared, reappearing before Elle.

Startled, she jumped, dropping her cup of water. The glass shattered on the floor. "God! Don't scare me like that!"

"Well, looks like I'm two-for-two in breaking glass. Help me clean this up." Once the glass was picked up and the water wiped down, I sighed.

Elle compulsively hugged me. "I'm glad to see you, again, Kai. I was afraid you'd given up on me."

I shook my head. "Be on your way, now. I have a few things I need to take care of." In another moment, I was gone. I had to say hi—I missed her terribly. But at the same time, showing her I was there could've compromised my plan. I wondered if it would change the turn of events to come.


	21. Proper Burial

I could hear the bells toll—a rude awakening for those that weren't required to work. I sat atop a roof and watched them slowly pour out from their bunkers.

"You miss me?" a voice called, a pair of Cyclonian boots kicking out beside me. "If I'm not mistaken, this isn't the first time I've run into you."

I looked over. So, Ace remembered me from the Velocity incident. "It's nice to see you, Ace. Don't think you should be talking to me, though."

"Eh, I'm not so sure about that. I'm the head Talon, now. Talking to Cyclonians is part of my job description…" He scratched at his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw you climb up here. Your tattoos aren't exactly common." My skin lit up as he spoke. "What brings you here, eh? You want me to take down the Storm Hawks again? Cause believe me, I've tried."

"Ha! If you weren't so stupid, you'd see you've got a great opportunity right in front of you."

With a smirk, he looked off toward the cafeteria. "You're no Storm Hawk."

I pulled my knees to my chest. "Not anymore, at least," I muttered to myself. "I used to be such a great person… So friendly… Now I'm just angry."

"I was telling a friend about you a few weeks ago, in one way or another. You have quite the first impression on people."

"Who else knows I'm here?" I asked. It wasn't like Ravess to have visitors go unnoticed.

"Just me… Caught sight of your ass trailing around a corner." Ace rubbed his nose, sniffing in. "To be honest, you are extremely unchanged for someone I met _years_ ago."

"It may have been years for you, but it hasn't been that long for me." I looked at Ace. "There are so many things I wish I could tell you."

"We're not married in the future, are we?" he asked, sarcastically.

I laughed. "Jesus, no. But you… you have a wonderful girlfriend. She is one of the most conniving people I've ever met."

Ace smiled sincerely. "Good to know…"

"I've missed this place… Wonder where I am," I spoke quietly, looking for a girl with white hair. I knew I must've been in the bunker, packing up my things. That day was _the_ day, and I had to remember that.

"You're here? I think I'd remember you."

"You wouldn't… I'm not exactly myself." I craned my head upward, taking another look around the campus. Finn exited the men's bunker and I smiled. Blondie looked so good with black hair. "Finny… I miss that blond bastard," I whispered to my knees.

Ace twitched, catching my words. "It was great talking with you, but I should get going. You know, classes to teach… talons to kill… Catch up with you sometime in the near future… Kai…" He roughly patted me on the back before jumping directly from the roof to the ground. I closed my eyes for a moment, long enough to relax. What I saw when I opened my eyes was not a pretty sight.

Ace managed to catch Elle just as she'd left the bunker. Knowing her affinity with the dark knight, I could see her heart beat right out of her chest. She smiled and laughed as he addressed her directly. I could hear him asking her questions. "Do you know him?" he asked, pointing in an off direction.

I looked over, then back toward the two. "Him?" Elle responded. "Sure! That's J-Jared!" She stuttered on his name. She wanted to call him Finn. I froze.

Ace smiled. "I think you need to come with me…" He gripped onto her arm. The bowl she was carrying dropped to the ground.

"L-Let me go! No, let me go!"

I stood up. "Elle…"

As Ace dragged her away, Ravess was soon to follow. Her eyes caught sight of me and she stopped in her tracks and squinted. "Hm." Soon, she stepped off toward Ace, following after him and the girl into a dark room.

"No! Elle!" I wanted to scream. I shouldn't have said Finn's name. This would have never happened. This whole thing… It was my fault! How could I have jeopardized Elle's life? "Please… don't hurt her…" I fell to my knees, my skin tearing against the gravel. "I love you, Elle… I'm so sorry…"

For what felt like the longest moment, I laid there on the rooftop, completely motionless. I didn't want to move. I wanted to die. I was there to save her life and prevent her death, not cause it! A bell tolled and the young talons piled into the training area. Ravess crawled out from her cave, Elle tied securely behind her. Her hands were bound, her eyes were blindfolded, and her neck…

I sat up, looking at the girl. Her skin had lost all color—she was scared for her life. Then, I remembered why I was there. A quiet _clank_ was followed by a young girl exiting the bunker. The last one out—she caught my eye. White hair, no more than a year older than myself.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and rose to my feet. I didn't have long to pull this off. "See you soon…" I took in a deep breath and flashed from one point on the roof to a branch in a nearby tree. I watched as Ravess tied the other end of the noose to the railing and tested its stability. She stepped along the bridge, away from Elle. I was about to witness—once again—the most tragic event of my life. I didn't want to be there.

I could spot my location in the crowd. There were only seconds left…

"Kai…," Elle whimpered, shaking where she stood, more violently the closer Ravess became. I had to remember—she wasn't talking to me. "Kai, Run!"

A cold-blooded, uncaring hand crawled onto her skin. The split second Ravess moved her hand and _pushed_, I disappeared. In the blink of an eye, I moved from the Academy many years ago, back to my bunker at home. "Time to go," I grumbled, gripping Araelus' hand.

Not another moment later, I returned to the bridge scene at the Academy. Time froze around me, giving me the upper-hand. I pulled Araleus along the bridge and stopped him beside Elle. I could feel my hands shaking as I removed the noose from her neck and replaced it around Araelus'.

He looked me in the eye and smiled, a tear falling down his cheek. "Th-thank you for doing this. I will never forgive myself for what I've done with my life. I'm going to miss you, Kai," he whispered.

I pulled the blindfold from Elle's eyes and tied it around his own. He moved his head out of the way of my hands and shuffled to the side. His hand searched for my own, gripping it tightly. "See you around, kid."

"See you… Xander…" His fearful grip disappeared as I left, taking Elle with me.

As the warmth of my bunker returned, and time hit us like a wave, Elle began to move. Her scream caught in her throat as she realized something wasn't right. However, Elle grew weak from the sheer terror of what _almost_ happened, and collapsed on the floor. I leaned forward to catch her and quickly missed.

Ben walked through the door. "What the hell is going on? I heard someone scream!" He tossed his hat across the room and threw his jacket off. "I was gone for three hours and you try to kill someone in our home?"

"Ben, a lot happened in those three hours," I laughed. Granted, Araleus kept the bunker company for that time, I wondered if I should explain the situation to Ben _now_, or wait until later. "Please, I need your help. Can you put her on the bed and watch her until I get back? I will explain later, I have to finish cleaning up a mess."

Worried, confused, and angry all at the same time, he agreed, slowly trying to lift her up into our bed.

"Thanks, Ben," I said with a smile before returning to the Academy. By this time, the courtyard was in total panic. I was somewhere inside a Cyclonian mineshaft with Finn, Ace, Ravess, and Snipe, so I wasn't entirely worried about the big _baddies_ coming after me. I pulled on a guard uniform and stepped out into the open. They had yet to dispose of Araleus. They left him there, dangling, swaying back and forth in the wind. I had to laugh through the depressing situation—he may have looked nothing like Elle with the blindfold off, but he pulled off the feminine look very well.

Some of the more religious students had placed Dragon flowers in his uniform, or set up a small incense candle beneath him. I grew angry as I saw one of the other guards knock over the shrine. "Hey!" I called out, trying to catch his attention. "Why are you just letting her sit there?"

He looked at me, a bit startled. "There were no orders to take her down. The boss is too busy with the Storm Hawk kids.

"I was told she was being taken away, and to cut heads if she hadn't. Get her down from there, now!" My dominant stance on the situation was unmistakable, and he didn't question me. I grabbed his arm as he reached for the ladder. "I'll take care of her body. Just get her on the ground."

He nodded and climbed up, reeling in the rope attached to Araleus' neck. "She's one… heavy girl…" He cradled him in his arms and walked across the bridge and into the connecting building. He came out of the door on the ground floor, holding it open for me. "Where are we taking her body?"

"I want to give her a proper burial." I stepped toward the door and led the way.

He sniffed in, readjusting his grip. "I used to see this girl around here a lot, back when she was a student here. Kind of a sad story. Her brother was snatched up by Cyclonis, and no one has seen him since. At least, that's what I've heard."

"I was told her brother died in battle."

"The only time her brother left the Academy was the day he disappeared. He was never called to battle…" He pushed through another doorway. "There's plenty of plots here to put her."

"No, she deserves better than that. Take her to the infirmary; I'll take care of the rest." Once Araleus' body was set down, I sat beside him and covered him with a sheet. For a good while, I held his lifeless hand and thought about just what I was doing with my life.

Araleus and I had our little adventure once I'd left Jonathon. He'd become my go-to for anything and everything. It was what I called my little phase away from Ace. I enjoyed to freedom, and learned quite a bit about Sky Knights and Cyclonians from him. He saved me from my own insanity, and kept me from killing myself. I owed him my life for that… But when he went mad, he made me promise to free him from his insanity—so I did. I tossed him in a cell and promised him the favor; I felt indebted to him for saving my life… even if he had hurt me in the past.

He'd spent only a few years at that prison, but knowing how loud the voices called out to him, or how damning his thoughts must've been, those years felt like an eternity. He went out without a single regret about his decision. In his eyes, he was saving the world from him, and himself from the world. I gave his hand a final squeeze and opened my eyes. I'd sent us back to Tranqua, in our own time.

I dug quite the hole for him before dressing him in his own clothes. I didn't feel like it was right to leave him in the Cyclonian uniform. In his hand, I left an Energizer crystal, his favorite of them all, and a Dragon flower in the other. I covered him back up with the sheet and piled the dirt in. His grave marker was fitting—his old energy blade. I hung his pocket watch around the hilt and said a quiet prayer for my long lost friend.

Wherever he ended up, he was much happier than he was here on the Atmos; and that I can guarantee you. With Araleus taken care of, I went home. I bummed a ride off a stranger passing the Skyside Shanty, and he happily took me home. Ben, still confused from when I left the girl there, welcomed me with open arms.

"Thank God you're home. I was worried." He remained in his chair, warily eyeing the girl. "She's been out since you left… Hasn't moved an inch."

"She'll be fine. She just had a close call with death, that's all." I gave him a kiss on the cheek and pulled off the Academy armor I'd stolen. "At the very latest, she'll wake up tomorrow."

"None of your trickery here, right? She's just knocked out?" He hummed, looking at her closely. "She seems so familiar. What's her name?"

"Elle. I doubt you knew her. She was stuck at the Academy her entire life."

He nodded slowly, reaching out for the girl's hand. "She's pretty," he admitted. "She's from Lynn, isn't she?" I agreed. "So am I. I wonder if she's from the same province. Any brothers or sisters?"

"Yeah, she had a brother. His name was Trevor."

"Was?"

"Something happened to him, still trying to figure out just what that was… I've heard a few stories. Don't think too much on it." I untied my shoes, sitting on top of my desk. I accidentally kicked Ben's chair as my shoe came off, and he lurched forward, slightly tugging on Elle's hand. He quickly let go, freezing as she began to move.

Ben stood from his chair, keeping close by in case she were to roll off.

"Elle, honey," I whispered, stepping over to her side. "Are you awake?" I rubbed her shoulder, trying to see if her eyes were open.

The girl moved once more before yawning. "Wh-what? What's going on?" Then, suddenly, her eyes shot open. She was back on the bridge, fighting for her life with a noose. Her hands shot to her neck, finding no noose. She was confused and afraid. I reached for her hand and tried to comfort her.

"Elle, it's okay! It's me, Kai!"

Her eyes stared blankly past Ben and I, but suddenly became fixated on something. She removed my hand from her own and sat up, her eyes glued to Ben. She put a hand on either side of his face, trying to move his skin around like clay. "T-Trevor? Oh… oh my, God, Trevor? Is that you?"


	22. Savior

Ben looked at me, more confused than he was before. "What is she talking about?" he asked, his words slurred as she continued to mush his face around.

"They told me you were killed!" Elle began to shake, moving her hands to his hair. "I… I can't believe you're alive…"

"Elle, that's Ben. He's not your brother…"

"N-no," she shook her head, standing on her knees to pull him into a hug. "He's my brother… We're twins."

Ben pushed her away at arm's length, looking into her tearful eyes. "Elle, I think I'd remember having a sister."

She shook her head again, crying. "You can't tell me I'm wrong! I know my own brother!"

I shook my head, laughing. "So you mean to tell me you think he's your brother? Your _twin_ brother?" I looked at Elle. "You two don't look alike at all." I laughed again. "Elle, I think you must've hit your head pretty hard when you passed out. I think you should rest some more, okay?" There was a large age difference, but if Elle was right, that was easily dismissed. I had sent her many years into the future, and Ben had actually lived through them all.

She looked at me, her tearful eyes growing angry. "You don't believe me? Take me to my mother's! I'll show you who's telling the truth!" She looked at Ben, hugging him again. "Cyclonis must've done this to you… Don't worry, brother; we'll figure this out."

Stiff in her grasp, Ben looked at me once more. "I'm so confused…"

"I know, so am I…" I tapped Elle's shoulder, asking her to release him. There had to be something I could do to solve the mystery. "She's not lying, and neither are you…," I said under my breath, feeling each of their heartbeats. "Sit," I told Ben, holding onto his hand. "I want to try something."

Ben looked at me and laughed. "It won't hurt, will it?"

"Depends on your definition of pain…" I placed my hand on the side of his head and closed my eyes, exhaling. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with memories. I could see myself through his eyes, and felt the emotion behind his words each time he said, '_I love you.'_ I wanted to cry—the emotion was so strong.

I could see the many months he'd trained, and the few times Ace had stepped in to force necessary skills down his throat. I'd never seen Ace so angry, or heard him yell so loud… He'd always held back around me. I was afraid, but I could feel how strong Ben had been.

His memories weaved in and out of his daily life, but everything stopped and became a blur. It was as if he hadn't existed past the point of becoming a talon. At the young age of eighteen, Ben was thrust into the world of becoming a talon, but there was nothing before that. Nothing about his family, his friends, how he was raised… His mind was completely blank. I hadn't entirely believed him when he'd told me life was a blur before Cyclonia, but now…

I continued to search through his mind for the answers when, like a powerful wave, it hit me. I could see him sitting in a chair, the Dark Ace and Cyclonis standing before him. She held a crystal to his ear and whispered, "_I__nanem __A__nimum_…" She spoke to Ace of how this would ruin _the girl_, but how _he_ was such an asset to Cyclonia.

"_She's useless, but him…? Keep her in the Academy… I want none of this reaching the public…," _her words slithered from her lips like a poison.

Ace leaned down and looked into his eyes, squinting. "_I don't see the big deal about this kid. He's going to cause me more trouble than it's worth._"

"_He is the key to our greatest ally…_" The way she spoke, it sounded as if they were speaking of me. Cyclonis knew nothing of me and my future, I assumed. How could she have known?

I dug deeper, seeing memories of his childhood and the time he spent at the academy. Months upon years of sleeping in the men's bunker had gotten to him. He met with a girl frequently. I pulled away from the memories. "Oh my god, you're not lying…"

Ben fell back on the bed beside Elle, his eyes open and blank as he began to seize. Elle turned and tried to shake him out of it. "Trevor? Trevor! Are you okay? What did you do to him?" she asked me, fear in her eyes.

My eyes wide and my mouth agape, I shook my head, fearful as well. "I-I don't know! It shouldn't have hurt him!" I put a knee on the bed and crawled over him, sitting on his pelvis as I tried to keep him still. "The k-kitchen is over there," I pointed away from the bed. "Grab me a glass of water and a wet towel."

Quickly, she stumbled in the direction I instructed her. I could hear her loudly rifling through all of the cabinets.

I leaned forward as Ben stopped seizing, kissing his neck. I could feel his breath on my ear and his heartbeat against my lips. He was alive—I breathed a sigh of relief. "Ben, wake up," I begged, trying to shake him awake. "Ben, please… Wake up…"

Suddenly, his eyes opened. He tried to force his hands under me. "Get off… Get off!" He shoved me off of him onto the bed. I watched as he ran into the bathroom, throwing up into the toilet.

Elle rushed back, looking around the room. She could hear his retching from the bed, and she sat beside me. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure…" I sat up, dangling my legs off of the bed. "I'm having trouble taking it all in at once…"

Elle looked at me, setting the rag and cup down on the nightstand. "Kai… I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done… You risked your life to save mine, and you found my brother. I've never known anyone in my life as selfless as you. I haven't known you for more than a month—give or take the years between," she laughed, "but you've done more for me in those few days than anyone I've ever met." She pulled me into a hug. "I'll never be able to repay you for this."

I felt guilty. In the end, everything I've done was to fix the mistakes I've made in the past. I may have saved her, but I had been the reason Elle died to begin with. Granted I saved the man who apparently was her brother, but I hadn't known it at the time. I saved him of my own free will, and regardless of whose brother he was, it was the best decision I'd ever made.

"Don't thank me," I told her. "I don't deserve your gratitude." I shook my head and leaned away from her. "I've done a lot of stupid shit in the time I've been alive, some of which I've just recently become aware of…"

She shook her head and smiled. "I owe you my life, Kai."

I rolled my eyes. "I repay one debt and another surfaces. Awesome! Elle, I'm not looking for a tag-a-long. I saved you because you were the best friend I had. You understood me and didn't care how I looked. I knew you two seconds and you acted like we were born together. I loved it. I felt important—no one else treated me that way. If that makes me selfish for saving you, then… Well, yeah. It does make me selfish."

Elle giggled. "You confuse me…"

Ben kicked the door to the bathroom shut, locking it.

I leaned over, looking toward the door. "I hope he's all right…"

Elle pressed her lips together, looking at me.

"I can't believe he's your brother… maybe that explains the attraction."

"Attraction?" she asked, sipping from the cup of water she brought over.

I looked at her, wondering if I should tell her the whole story. "Ben—Trevor…" I shook my head, undecided if I was willing to call him her brother. "He's my fiancé."

Elle grinned, her eyes beaming with excitement. "Oh, wow! My brother's getting married!" She paused, gripping onto my arm. "Kai, you have to take me to see my mom… She should know I'm alive! She should know that Trevor is alive!" She cocked her head to the side in a questioning manner. "My mom… she's still alive, right?"

I nodded. "I've kept an eye on Elin for quite some time. I convinced her to leave your dad after we left the Academy. I came by to give her the picture and note I found in your lockbox, and to tell her that you didn't kill yourself. I told her the truth."

Elle was quickly saddened. "I… I can't believe it… Is my father all right?"

I shook my head and shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't feel he was worth my time."

She looked down toward the floor. "Oh… Well, I'm glad my mother is okay, then… I can't believe everything that's happened… It's all so sudden."

"Tell me about it," I laughed, standing up. "Ben, are you okay?" I stepped toward the bathroom, knocking on the door. "I don't want you to die in there."

"Leave me alone!" he growled, throwing something at the door. It shook violently as I stepped back.

I could see Elle was startled as well. "He'll be okay," I reassured her. "We'll give him a couple days."

"He's not going to stay in there the whole time, is he?"

"Let's hope not."


	23. Identity

Ben had locked himself in the bathroom all night, and was still in there when I left for the day. I trotted Elle around neon for the longest time, showing her a wonder of the Atmos she had never seen.

"This place is incredible!" she laughed, spinning around as we walked. "I'd only heard stories! I never imagined it would be this beautiful…"

"You should see it at night," I told her, looking around the Terra. I fished some money out of my satchel and handed it to her. "Go buy yourself a cotton candy; I'll be over there, okay?" She nodded, and I stepped away, taking a seat on a bench.

Not three minutes later did someone sit beside me. I thought it was Elle, but a darker outfit and a leather jacket told me otherwise. I jumped in my seat and scooted over. "Jesus! Do you make a habit to follow me everywhere I go?"

Ace laughed, making himself comfortable on the bench beside me. "Occasionally, I like to follow you and see what you do on your free time. I don't always, though. Like today, I just happened to be on Neon and see your ass running around here. I haven't seen you for a few days—thought you might've run into trouble."

"Nice to know you care about my well being."

As I looked toward Ace, his expression fell from amusement to shock. It looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His skin was completely drained of color, and his lifeless eyes were fixated on something before him. I looked over my shoulder to see what had caught his eye.

"Hey, Kai, I bought two; one for me, one for you. Hope you don't mind!" As Elle handed me my share, her eyes spotted the man sitting beside me. Her jaw dropped in fear. Her cheeks flushed as she spoke, "He isn't supposed to know, is he?"

"I thought you'd like to know, Ace… You took her away from me and I didn't like it, so I brought her back."

Ace swallowed the lump in his throat, his eyes never leaving Elle. "She's not supposed to be alive."

"No shit, Sherlock," I smiled. "I just thought, you know, if you can have Lora, I can have Elle!"

"How… how did you pull this off?" He wiped his brow, a cold sweat covering his skin. It was really like the ghost of Striker himself had shown up and laughed in his face. As Elle sat down, Ace couldn't help but reach out and touch her skin. It was total déjà vu of the night before with Ben.

Elle's cheeks flushed red. "A-Ace, stop. I'm actually here." There was no doubting her infatuation with the man. I knew it was purely due to his position of power, but try telling her that.

I rolled my eyes. "Listen, I'm here to enjoy my day with my best friend. If you want to ruin it, you'll have to book a hotel room and treat her right, okay?" I stuffed my face with the cotton candy, looking toward the rollercoasters on the coastline.

"You did this the day we spoke! You… somehow… That…"

"Oh, shush. Try not to question it. I spent the longest time planning it, it was still a bit confusing in the end."

Elle nodded, her eyes locked on Ace. "Mhmm! I had the hardest time understanding her weird powers… But she convinced me it would be okay! She's the best person in the whole world."

Ace laughed, still a bit in shock. "She's not all peaches and cream."

Elle's hands danced around, unsure of where to keep them. "I never thought I'd be so close to the Dark Ace! You're so much cuter in person!"

"How old are you?" he asked nervously.

"You pedophile!" I said, laughing. "First, you go after me at the measly age of fourteen, and now, Elle?"

"I'm eighteen, and I wouldn't care either way…," Elle giggled.

Ace looked at me with puppy-dog eyes. I shook my head and took another bite of cotton candy. "Hey, I won't say nothing to Lora, but you'd both be dead if she ever found out."

After recovering from the shock, Ace made his way back to work, and Elle and I enjoyed the rest of our day on Neon. "You're such a killjoy! Ace is such a cutie!"

"Trust me, it's better to avoid Lora. I agree with you—every last bit of it—when it comes to Ace. He's a great kisser, too, but his girlfriend is _not_ the kind of person you want to run into. I've kept my mouth shut for that reason. Somehow, I think she knows."

"You? You were with Ace?"

I shook my head. "I tried, but I must not have been forward enough. He's been in love with Lora since day one. He's never fallen out of love with her. That might've had something to do with it." I sipped at the hot chocolate I'd bought for the both of us. "I think he would've been a great lover, but a horrible boyfriend. Lora can deal with the emotional side of it. I tell you," I paused to sneeze, "I will sleep with him at least once before I die, I swear on my mother's grave."

"I thought you were with my brother…?"

I shrugged, laughing. "It won't change the fact that I love Ben—I will still love him, but damn, I mean… I wish I could explain it to you." Elle froze in her steps, staring me down. "What? Look, I was in a, well, not sure if you could call it a relationship, but what happened with Aerrow wasn't enjoyable. I was young, and I spent my future enjoying love without the emotional attachments. I am happy with what I have with Ben… your brother… but I see and feel a clear difference between sex and making love. You can guess which of the two your brother and I share."

She frowned, breathing in the warmth of her drink. "I… guess… I've had boyfriends, but that was when I was like, four. I've never really understood it."

"Well, I know your personality… I may just have the perfect guy for you."

We returned to my bunker after the fireworks—Elle was absolutely enthralled in the show. I felt like I had dug her up from a basement… like a child that had never been outside of the house before. It was enjoyable to see, but I was happy for her as well. She was finally able to enjoy her life and wouldn't be restricted because Cyclonis said _no_.

As I unlocked the door and pulled off my jacket, I noted that Ben had still not left the bathroom. I was worried, but I didn't let it show. As Elle made herself comfortable, I stepped toward the bathroom door, my ear pressed against the wood. I couldn't hear movement, but I knew the shower wasn't on. I tested the handle. _Locked_. With a swift move, and all the strength I could muster in a small movement, I busted the lock and pushed the door in. Elle jumped only slightly, and I gave a half-hearted and embarrassed smile as I entered the bathroom. The door hit the jamb and bounced back as I tried to shut it.

I found Ben sitting on the floor, leaning against the tub. His eyes were red and sunken in, his skin pasty, and his face soaked with tears. His eyes were half-open, swollen and puffy. I sniffed in and nudged the door to close a little more. "Ben, stop crying…"

"I'm done crying," he mumbled.

"You're a man, you shouldn't cry." I huffed as I sat beside him on the floor, one knee pulled up to my chest, the other flat on the floor.

His eyes remained on the ground, his hands fidgeting with the string hanging from his jeans. "I… I can't believe my entire life was taken away from me. It's been so long since I was allowed to be myself… They took away my identity, my family, my friends, my dreams, my… my life…" He sniffed in. "They took me away when my mother needed me most. I was supposed to go home not a day after they called me up to Cyclonia."

He laughed, but no amount of emotion showed on his face. "I was supposed to be an honored soldier. I was the best in my class, '_The best since the Dark Ace, himself!'_ I can't believe I believed that bunch of bullshit…" He looked at my legs, then into my eyes. "I can't believe who I've been for all these years… I've been some… some pussy-whipped little bitch. I'm supposed to be my sister's protector, and they took me away from her!"

I felt insulted. I'd loved Ben, or who I thought Ben was, and the way he was insulting the man I'd loved hurt, no matter if it was unintended. "Look, I fell in love with you for a reason; or, at least, who you were two days ago. I don't care who you were or who you are now, you're still the Ben I love." I reached out for his face, but he pushed me away, standing up abruptly.

"My name is Trevor!" he shouted. "I'm not your little Ben! I don't think you ever truly loved _me_, anyway! You just wanted to push me around! I was your little _bitch_, and you knew you could get what you wanted from me without argument! I sat around," he laughed at his pathetic actions, "for _seven_ months! I cried nearly every night after I heard you were captured by the council. I thought they would surely kill you. But no, you came home, and I was overjoyed. I was _stupid_ enough to think you'd marry me!

"Sure… sure, you said yes, but who am I kidding? I, little Benjamin, don't deserve _Your Highness. _You'd leave me standing there on our wedding day, I bet." He shook his head, laughing once more. "I am _not_ that person! I was raised in a strict and _strong_ household! I was raised to know better than to take shit from a woman like _you_."

I looked down. He was tearing me apart…

"I gave you everything, and you still took advantage of me. I couldn't ask one thing from you. It was too much! But you, you could ask everything from me and I wasn't allowed to complain." He caught my eye and refused to release my gaze. "Well, if you _say_ you love me as much as you do, you'll understand when I say that's not who I am, and I refuse to let that happen ever again."

His brows tugged together as he searched my eyes for answers. "But I know you… So just forget it. My sister and I will be gone before you wake up tomorrow. I'm going to make sure she lives the life she deserves _away_ from people like you, and _away_ from Cyclonia. I should've killed you like the Talon I was the _moment_ I had the chance. That way, you wouldn't be able to hurt _anyone_ anymore." Ben stormed off, slamming the door against the wall as he left the bathroom.

"What? No, Trev—No! I'm not leaving! Let me go!"

I quickly stood up and rushed after him. He had Elle by the arm, attempting to drag her out of the bunker. "Let her go! She's an adult. Let her make her own decisions."

Elle sat down on the bed and looked between the both of us. "Trevor… I'm not leaving Kai. She saved my life…"

"Yeah? Well, she saved mine too; but, she also ruined it. I wasted so many months on her ass."

"That's not the Kai I know!" Elle defended me.

I stared at him, offended. "Listen, I've done nothing wrong! I never forced you to stay with me! You said three little words I never asked you to say, you slept in my bed, ate my food, and lived under my roof! Did I ever once force you to do any of that?"

"No, but I—"

"Answer the question!"

"No…"

"I asked you to do things for me, and you could've said no! I didn't ask you to hold me, or sleep with me, or wipe the tears away when I cried. You threw away _your_ plans of your own free will! All I wanted was some help, and you were _always_ welcome to say no. If you knew me well enough, you would know I'm not the kind of person to be thankful for things! If you wanted someone to recognize every little thing you've done, you're with the wrong person."

"It doesn't matter if I was forced to do what you asked or not! I have _never _been able to ask something of you. It was always, 'No, I'm too busy,' or, 'No, I'll be gone for seven months without even bothering to tell you!' Mind you, I stuck around! For seven months, I could have easily started a new life with someone else more grateful!"

"Guys, please don't fight…"

I had to bite my tongue and restrain myself. He was _purposefully_ trying to hit every button and get under my skin. He knew me better than I'd thought. "I never left of my own free will! I was held in a cell for the majority of those months! Don't you dare tell I didn't let you know I would be gone, when you know damn well I couldn't have!"

Elle whimpered, "Please, stop! My two favorite people in the whole world are mad at each other… Please, don't fight anymore!" She rose to her feet, looking at the both of us.

"Then let me go," Ben growled. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"If you think you'll be happier with someone else, leave. I don't want you here, either."

"Fine." Ben took one look at Elle, contemplating just exactly what he should do, before taking his jacket, his hat, and his keys, and leaving the bunker.

I shook my head, trying to force back the tears. That wasn't the Ben I knew… No, he wasn't just Ben. He was Elle's brother—Trevor Warden, a trained and devoted Talon. He was much like Ace in many ways, much to what would have been Ben's dismay. His entire identity was taken away and everything had changed in an instant. Ben felt betrayed, and he was questioning everything.

"He's…he's just overwhelmed," I told Elle. "I'm sure he'll come back."

Elle stepped over to me, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so sorry… I didn't think this would happen."


	24. Reunion

Even through the trouble with her brother, Elle wanted to visit her mother. After years of leaving her in the dark, I felt it was appropriate as well. Considering her daughter was alive, there was no reason not to. The morning after Ben left, Elle and I packed a few things and headed off to Mesa where Elin and Elle's aunt were staying. I had various people keep an eye on Elin throughout the years. I wanted to be sure that brute of a husband of hers never interfered, and thank God he didn't.

Elle was ecstatic. She hadn't seen her mother in ages, having been cooped up in the Academy since her enrollment. "I can't wait to see my mom! I hope she's doing all right! Ooh, and Auntie Marla! Boy, won't they be glad to see me!" Elle held onto me as we flew through the skies. She seemed rather interested in our surroundings, but feared just how high up we were.

I laughed. "Your mother is doing fine. Your aunt and her bought a new house not too long ago!"

"You've been keeping watch on my mom?" she questioned. "You really did care about me!"

"I wasn't kidding, Elle!" Not more than thirty minutes later, a total of four hours of flight time, we landed on Mesa and drove around to a small town with little more than twenty houses and a commerce center.

Elle stepped off my SwitchBlade, hesitant to knock on the door. "What… what if she rejects me? What if she doesn't believe that it's me?"

I patted her back, looking at her tear-filled eyes. "Your mother was a very understanding person. I'm sure she will be overjoyed to hear you're alive." I stepped toward the ruby-red door, dinged and dented from the years before. I held out my hand to knock, waiting a moment in suspense. Suddenly, an older woman stepped up and opened the door, looking at me. Elle had crouched down and hidden behind me. I wasn't a large person—Elle was easily visible and much taller than I was no matter how far she crouched down.

"Elle, stop," I said with a laugh. "Ma'am, my name is Kai. I'm here to see Elin… Is she around?"

"Is that my little Elly?" the woman asked, looking around me. She began to shake as she stepped toward me, her hands reaching out for Elle. "N-no… It c-can't be…"

"Auntie Marla?" Elle called, the tears already streaming down her face. She stepped around me and embraced her aunt, the two sobbing happily.

She rubbed the skin on Elle's face, running her fingers through her hair. "We thought you had died! Oh, Elly… I can't believe you're all right!"

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the moment of mush as I stepped into the house. My knuckles tapped against the door as I called out. "Elin? Hello? Are you home?" I searched around each corner before making my way to the kitchen. She sat at the island bar, a cup of hot tea in her hands. She had gracefully aged—her blonde hair had faded to beautiful platinum, her skin was much thinner, but it retained its lovely porcelain color. Her blue eyes rose from her cup and landed on me.

"Kai! Oh, don't think I've forgotten about you! How have you been?" She slowly rose from her chair, stepping towards me.

I gave the woman a hug, smiling. "I've been great. I heard you guys bought a new house not too long ago and thought it was a good time to check in on you!"

"My sister and I have been wonderful… It's so nice to see you, Kai. You haven't aged a bit." The woman managed to steer clear of the tattoo subject, but she seemed to understand. "How are things in the Sky Knight world?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry to say, Elin… I'm not involved with them anymore."

Her eyes fell to the floor. "That's unfortunate. I suppose you're being smart about working with those damned Cyclonians, yes?"

I nodded. "Elin," I called, putting a hand on each of her shoulders. "I have a wonderful present for you. Please, don't freak out." I stepped around her and led her forward, a hand over her eyes.

"M-Marla, dear, are you crying?" Fearful for her sister, she removed my hand from her eyes in time to see Elle, and for Elle to see her. The grip she had on my hand grew tighter as she examined the girl. "E-Elly…" As if all life was stripped from her bones, she stood there, blankly staring at the girl.

Elle gently nudged her aunt to the side and addressed her mother. "Mommy… Mommy, it's me! Hey…" Elle gave an awkward little wave and smiled, the tears continuing to fall.

Suddenly, Elin moved forward, pulling Elle into a hug. "My little Elly!"

I stood aside as each of them had their moment. I tried not to become emotionally involved in the situation—the tears I'd spent over Elle were plenty enough for me. I was just happy she was back where she belonged; by my side, and alive.

Elin stepped back and tugged on her shirt, wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeves. "I must've done something good to get my little girl back! Oh, you don't know how happy I am. Kai, this means more to me than you ever know…"

"Don't thank me," I told her. "She deserved a better life than what she had before."

She looked at Elle. "H-how is this even possible? You told me they killed her in front of you…"

I shrugged, contemplating how far into detail I wanted to go. "Elle was the best friend I'd always wanted. It wasn't right of them to kill her, and it wasn't right of me to stand by and let it happen… so I fixed it."

Elle giggled. "She's got magical powers! Came back in time and saved me!"

From the look on Elin's face, I could see that Elle had been quite the story teller since she was young, and Elin never once hesitated to play along with the things she said. But as Elle spoke, and Elin looked at me, my skin crawled with a wave of energy. For once, Elin believed her daughter's tall tale, and accepted it with deep gratitude. "I owe you more than I could ever repay, Kai. You saved me from a life of perpetual pain, and you've given me my little girl back… You've done so much for each of us, Kai. If there's anything you need, anything at all, we will be more than happy to give it to you." Marla agreed with her sister's words, grasping onto Elle's hand.

"And you've given me my family back," Elle said with a smile. "I'd never ask for a better friend!"

"I wonder how she'd react if I brought Ben…," I muttered to myself.

"Come… Come, I will make us lunch. It won't be much, but you look like you haven't had a home cooked meal your entire life."

"I've never had a home-cooked meal."

She smiled, holding Elle's other hand. "Then I shall make you the best meal."

While Marla and Elin were busy preparing a wonderful meal, I sat out amongst the many hills of Mesa, examining the view. It was quite a green land—the terrain was a mix of Sahaar and Tranqua, many dusty hills but plenty of green trees. It made for an interesting atmosphere, but also a pleasant one. Creatures of all kinds called Mesa home, and the lack of widespread civilization let them flourish and prance about whenever and wherever they pleased.

I sat amongst a dry patch of grass seeded within a dry dune. I could see the flames of the distant Wastelands lick at the clouds above, clouding the skies with ash and dry lightning. It was beautiful, but entirely dangerous. I'd felt the heat within the Wastelands and known what kind of damage it had done, but I didn't dare press my luck. That land was better observed from a distance.

I'd stayed far from the homes of Elin's little town, comforted by the lack of people and sky rides. I was alone, and for once, my mind was silent. I enjoyed every moment, but it didn't last long. I was joined by a solemn young man who sat comfortably beside me on the cracked dirt.

"I knew it wouldn't be long before you brought her home," he said quietly, picking at the dried grass between his feet. Ben looked up, watching the clouds roll over the trees in the distance.

I looked at him. "You must feel some remorse, or something. You said your goodbyes; why are you bugging me?"

"I had a bit of an identity crisis, I guess. I may have been born Trevor, but I've been Ben for so long… I don't think it will change overnight. I still love you, Kai. That's not going to change."

"You seemed to let it go so easily, yesterday. What changed your mind?"

"I had a good long talk with myself… Then I realized people were watching me, so I went to Tranqua and continued that conversation in peace."

I laughed. "Get to the point."

"I realized that a year doesn't just disappear because I've regained my memories. The time we've spent together is still there… I know you care about me, but you have a funny way of showing it. I don't appreciate the lack of gratitude."

"You said some mean shit back there."

He nodded. "And I'm not taking it back, either. Ben might have gotten on his knees and kissed the ground you walked on to get you back, but I'm not the same person. I meant what I said, and I want you to take it to heart. You need to change the way you treat people if you want to keep them around for very long. I'm not going to stick around unless you make a promise to try harder."

I shook my head. "Why? What makes such a difference between the Ben I knew and the person you think you are?"

"Kai, I was raised in a Cyclonian household. My dad was, and probably still is, a devout Talon. I was told that there was nothing good about those damned Sky Knights and that I should never associate myself with them. They were in the wrong, and we, under Cyclonia, are doing the right thing. We know what's best for the Atmos, and the Sky Knights are just getting in our way. I never believed any different, either.

"When I turned fourteen, I begged my dad to let me join the academy. I was _just_ old enough to join, and if I was going, Dad thought Elle should go to. We were both so gung-ho about training to be Talons! In our eyes, nothing would stop us. I told myself I would be as good as the Dark Ace, one day. I would work alongside him and we would be unstoppable! He came by the Academy one day and as per a recommendation of my Captain he came by to see me. He took one look at me and walked away.

"I was ashamed. I felt I would never be good enough for my father, or for the Dark Ace. I wanted to, at that very moment, charge forward and kill the Dark Ace. That way all of Cyclonia would know that a lowly trainee was strong enough to kill the Dark Ace himself, and they would have to let me become a Talon." He shook his head. "By that time, I was seventeen… I was due to graduate with flying colors in a week, and to be sent home to reunite with my family after almost four long years. I was granted permission to leave the Academy, but was told Cyclonis, herself, wanted to see me personally."

Ben looked at me. "I was ecstatic. She wanted to see _me!_ Then… it all went wrong… I ended up coming out of it as Ben, a lowly talon with no real skills…" He laughed at the thought. "Ben never had a chance, and Cyclonis knew my insecurities and weaknesses would draw you in like a fly. I was her pawn and you were her prize." He shook his head. "But beneath it all, I am still that old boy I used to be. I still hold true to my values and views of Sky Knights. I will never be anything other than a Talon, and you shouldn't expect any different from me. Elle can do what she pleases, but I will never change."

He closed his eyes. "But there are things from my life as Ben that I enjoyed, things that I would never _want_ to change." He reached out for my hand, taking it in his. "I would never take back our trip to Neon, the days we spent together, the fights over who ate the last bowl of soup or who left the window open, that moment when I first met Torch, nor the day I asked you to marry me. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world, no matter who I was then or who I am now."

I looked at him. "Are you saying you still want to be with me?"

"I'm saying that I don't care how you treat other people; you better treat _me_ with respect. I am a human being, and I'm not going to let your insults pass me by anymore. I deserve better than your heartless words."

I leaned against him, closing my eyes. "What am I supposed to call you, now?"

He hesitated, breathing in. "I'm Ben, now. Elle will never let go of Trevor, and I don't expect her to."

For a while, we sat in silence, enjoying the scents and sounds of nature. But after a while, I realized I was wanted elsewhere, and debated whether or not Ben would come with me. He would likely be willing to show himself to his mother, but I was unsure if he was ready to deal with the emotional side of it. "There's someone waiting for me…"

Ben rose to his feet, helping me to my own. "I'm sure. Let's get going."

With a smile, we started back toward Elin's home, the scent of her meal growing ever stronger. The only home-cooked meals I'd eaten were Junko's, and they weren't exactly edible. Sure, I enjoyed them because my stomach could handle them, but I never sat down with the ones I called family and ate in peace. It was always one thing or another preventing us from getting together, be it my own father, or my Storm Hawk family. Lord knows Lora wasn't the kind of person to _get together_, but I never asked for that from her. I rarely ate nowadays, anyway. Food seemed to be a luxury, and I was never hungry, so I let it go.

Ben stopped me outside of Elin's house, looking stressed and worried. "L-look, I… I don't want to overshadow my homecoming, so I should probably do this now." He swallowed the lump in his throat, fidgeting with something in his jacket pocket. "God, this was so easy the first time I did it…"

"Ben, would you come off it and tell me all ready?"

"All right, fine. Close your eyes. No peeking, okay?"

I laughed at the immaturity of his presentation. "Okay, sure." I closed my eyes, my hands behind my back.

"Gimme your hand."

As I followed his instruction, he placed something cold into my hand. I immediately opened my eyes. A beautiful and modest ring sat in my hand. As excited as I was to see his proposal materialize before me, I shoved the ring back in his face. "Oh come on! If you're going to do it, do it right!"

He laughed. "Okay, okay." He awkwardly got down on one knee and held the ring between his fingers. "Kai," he started, laughing. "Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

I stamped my foot against the ground. "No! Say it right!"

"Dude, come on, just put on the fucking ring!" he laughed, growing impatient.

With a smile, I plucked the ring from his hand and put it on, looking at all of the facets. It was nothing impressive—nothing like I'd expected as a child. Of course, as a child, I expected something the size of the Aurora Stone; my expectations were a little unrealistic. But Ben was able to scrape together enough money to formalize he proposal, and that made the ring shine brighter than any crystal I'd ever seen.

"It's no diamond, but I thought this would have more meaning."

As the metal rested on my skin, I could feel the power within the ring. "It's a shard of the Aurora Stone…"

He nodded. "Just don't ask where I got it, okay? It's a long story and I'd rather not go back there…"

I knew, though. I knew there was only one person in the world with access to the shards of the old crystal. Aerrow would never have willingly given up the shards of the old Aurora Stone, But Finn might've. With a bit of persuasion and some lies sprinkled here and there, he just might've given up a shard to Ben. I was floored. "That's more than I could've ever asked for."

Quelling my emotion, Ben and I stepped into the house like we lived there, heading into the kitchen. "Hey, what's for dinner?" Ben asked, kissing his mother on the cheek.

Expecting Elle, she hadn't flinched, but the sound of his voice caught her off guard. She flinched and backed away, looking at Ben.

"Elin, this is Ben, my fiancé. I think you know him a little better than I do, though."

She had gone past the point of confusion and questions, and went straight to the hugging. Her arms latched tightly around his torso and she buried her face in his chest. This time, she had no words. A son that had been lost to her much longer than Elle had been, she had no real confirmation of his death. Cyclonian soldiers had told her of it, but she had no closure, no physical evidence. And there he was, standing before her—the missing son she'd thought she'd lost forever.

Frozen in her grasp for a moment, he melted soon after, his arms curling around his mother. "I've missed you so much…"

"K-Kai, this is too much," she muttered, rubbing her face on his shirt. "I'm not as young as I used to be—my heart can't take much more."

"Then you might want to sit down, Elin. There's more to the story with Trevor than with Elle…"

Her eyes grew saddened with my words, but she listened anyway. Elle replaced her in the kitchen, stirring the pots as necessary.

Ben and I sat before her, trying to explain the situation. "They took him from the Academy and brainwashed him. They thought he would be good bait for me, and it turns out they were right." I rubbed my hand against Ben's knee. "They took away his identity and made him into Ben, a lowly talon… But they knew if anyone were to find out, it would ruin their operations. Had Elle graduated, she would've known, so they forced her to stay in the Academy. If she tried to go home, they would've killed her." As Elin looked at me, I caught her gaze. "Your husband knew of this."

She involuntarily shook her head, confused and distraught. "Th-that's not possible. He… he kept me from my son?"

"He had to, or there would've been no reason to keep her there. She would've gone home and would've eventually seen Ben."

Ben continued, "I've been living on Cyclonia since my eighteenth birthday… I've been living a lie. Kai here was nice enough to restore my memories… but it's more of a curse than a blessing…"

"Oh, honey… I don't care what they've done to you. You're still my little boy…" She leaned forward, kissing his forehead. "Our family is back together, now," she said, drying her tears. "But you two hardly look like twins, now," she said with a laugh.

I nodded. "That's what I was saying! So, they're really twins?"

She nodded. "Since day one… I suppose there's also a difference in age we have to consider."

I shrugged. "Eh, a couple years. No big deal."

Ben switched sides, sitting beside his mother. "Nothing could make this day any better…"


End file.
